


Blood & Lace

by KiaCoral



Series: Divine Pulse (An AU Collection) [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Jeralt actually plays a major part, M/M, No My Unit/Byleth Eisner, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:53:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23365009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiaCoral/pseuds/KiaCoral
Summary: It wasn't just Crests that the Goddess blessed the people of Fodlan with.A/B/O AU, with a bit of a twist. (No Byleth)
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Edelgard von Hresvelg & Claude von Riegan, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan, Jeralt Reus Eisner & Seteth
Series: Divine Pulse (An AU Collection) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680505
Comments: 58
Kudos: 243





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've been working on this thing for a while now (purely for self-indulgence) and unfortunately I've hit a bit of a block at the moment. Considering that, and the fact that someone dear to me posted recently (and has been cheering me on) I thought I'd toss this out and see what happens. Also, I don't know how far this'll go, and updates will be painfully slow, if at all.
> 
> *EDIT* This is also my attempt to take a sexualized theme and make it...kinda not, so. You've been warned. ALSO, timeline is super shifted compared to the game, so certain events happen quicker and/or overlap at certain points, so, don't try to think too hard about it I guess.
> 
> Cheers.

* * *

Things weren’t looking too good. Claude could only roll his eyes beseechingly to the stars as he and the other two House Leaders stumbled into a village supposedly called Remire. All three of them were a bit worse for wear, but none of them had any actual injuries to speak of. Claude counted that as a blessing even if they’d gotten separated from their useless teacher and their battalions of knights.

“Perhaps we can ask the villagers for assistance?” Dimitri offered quietly, his blue eyes flicking back and forth between the darkened buildings and windows.

“A village like this won’t have any military or militia to speak of,” Edelgard retorted stiffly, “We’d be better off asking to borrow some horses and returning to the Monastery on our own.”

Claude frowned as he too observed their surroundings. It was not an overly  _ large _ village by any standards, the farm lands and penned animals speaking for themselves on their main source of living. There was no major center for commerce; all the buildings were single story and bespoke of homesteads rather than stores, the single dirt road leading in and out of the village dividing it completely in two. Claude assumed that bartering was their main form of payment here. 

In any case, it was obviously far too late - or too early, depending on how one looked at it - for anyone to be awake at this hour. Claude doubted even the bakers or farmers would be crazy enough to do so, and though he may be used to staying up all night, running for one’s life was a tiresome business. The three of them had been dodging their pursuers for hours. Claude had managed to leave false trails and convinced the other two to backtrack once or twice - anything to throw their would-be-killers astray - only for the bandits to appear once more. 

They’d finally lost them once more perhaps an hour ago, but Claude had no doubts that the bandits would track them to this village soon. It gave the trio little time to recover, and though Claude was grateful to stumble across any sort of civilization after that mad escape, it also brought on a whole new set of problems.

“But we can’t just  _ leave _ , the bandits will no doubt ransack this place in search of us!” Dimitri hissed, his scent sharpening in incredulous horror.

Claude, unfortunately - or fortunately since it allowed him to express himself freely - was walking behind the other two and scrunched his face as the smell hit his senses. It kind of felt like snorting black pepper and he had to resist the violent urge to sneeze and gag all at once.

Edelgard, despite walking right next to Dimitri, showed no sign of discomfort. Or any sign at all that she could smell the other’s distress at her suggestion.

_Alphas, honestly._ _Either too proud, or just straight up unable to smell even if an emotion exploded right in their face._

Since it was  _ Edelgard _ though, it was probably a little bit of both.

In response, Edelgard’s scent took on a distinctively sour, bitter smell, like pure concentrated lemon extract that burned all the way through Claude’s nose down to his taste buds, in a mixture of frustrated irritation. Actually, she’d been giving off the same smell ever since the attack - 

Scrubbing a hand desperately over his face in an attempt to rid the metaphorical smells from his metaphorical nose, Claude’s sharp eyes caught the tell-tale glow of a fire far behind the houses they passed. Curious, he turned in that direction, aware that the other two didn’t notice him change course as they continued ahead down the village’s main thoroughfare.

Claude was happy to let the two Alphas bicker - a lover’s quarrel if he was in a more humorous mood - as he slid between two houses and finally set eyes on the source of his curiosity. There were more houses, which was to be expected, but the large single story building with an attached stable looked promising.

The dozen or so men dressed in worn leather and armor spread out in front of the building between three different campfires, even more so. 

Claude noted the easy camaraderie between the men, the way several were doing weapon maintenance while others dozed on their shields or helmets. Some were passing a bottle between them, not-quite-smothered guffaws easily reaching Claude’s ears. Despite all that, each had a weapon close at hand, and Claude could smell the old tang of iron and confidence that indicated the group were old hands at battle.

Adding everything up - the lack of screaming and death, the relaxed air hanging about the village despite a large group of armed men hanging around what must have been the village’s one and only inn - Claude came to a conclusion.

_ Mercenaries _ .

Claude perked up and hissed over his shoulder, “Guys!”

“Are you suggesting we take on a whole crew of bandits by ourselves? If we weren’t already nearly at our limits, I’d agree it wouldn’t be  _ impossible _ , but even I don’t believe we’d be able to overcome their numbers alone.”

Edelgard was glaring up at Dimitri, arms crossed and her brows furrowed. Dimitri’s face was twisted in frustration and his hands flexed at his sides. The two were  _ obviously _ preoccupied and apparently hadn’t even noticed they’d stopped in the middle of the street. They were also  _ well  _ within hearing distance from Claude, even without him having to raise his voice.

Claude grimaced and tried again, “Hey, guys!”

“I’m not trying to suggest that we take them on by ourselves,” Dimitri let out a long sigh, “I understand the tactical disadvantages, but we can’t just leave these villagers  _ defenseless _ and  _ without any warning _ !”

“So what are you suggesting? Wake them up and evacuate? I’m sure that would go over  _ splendidly _ !”

Claude rolled his eyes and turned around completely, “HEY, YOUR ROYALNESSES!”

Much to his amusement, both House Leaders noticeably jumped before whirling towards him with matching unimpressed looks. Claude snickered and jabbed a thumb behind him.

“Why don’t we just try asking them?”

* * *

“Bandits? Here?”

“Yes sir, and it looks like a lot of them.”

Jeralt pinched the bridge of his nose with a weary sigh. It was only a couple more hours till sunrise, and he’d barely gotten any sleep, memories from what seemed like a lifetime ago invading his dreams. Jeralt hadn’t dreamt of those days in  _ years _ , but they always seemed to be like a sort of omen. 

Silver lining he supposed, would be that he’d already been awake when one of his men came banging on his door with bad news.

“Remire doesn’t have anything of real value, why would -”

“I’m afraid that would be our fault sir.”

Jeralt blinked and glanced up and over his man’s shoulder to see a trio of kids standing a respectable distance away just on the threshold of his room. He raised a brow incredulously, eyeing the blond who had spoken before turning his gaze to the other two. Simply put, the three looked rough. Even if Jeralt couldn’t see the obvious signs of a cross country sprint in the small scratches and bits of dirt and leaves stuck to them, the level of exhaustion hanging around them like a thick cloud caused his nose to itch. 

Jeralt grimaced against the sensation, “And what would a bunch of bandits want with a bunch of -” He paused as his mind finally registered what the kids were wearing, the black material and gold accents glaringly familiar considering what he’d just dreamed about, “Wait, those uniforms...”

“I’m afraid we don’t have much time sir,” the girl spoke up this time, lavender eyes far too cold and assessing for someone so young, “The bandits are here and though it is regretful that our presence has put the village at risk, we would like your help in disposing of them.”

“If it’s payment you’re worried about I’m sure we can think of something once we’re back at the monastery,” the third kid added nonchalantly, his darker skin tone and loose posture putting him at odds with the others, “You obviously recognize where we’re from.”

Jeralt snorted, “Not necessary. And you’re out of your minds if you think I’m letting a bunch of kids fight. This isn’t like your theoretical lessons at the Academy.”

“I can assure you that we’re quite capable of handling ourselves,” the blond protested, “And it’s our fault to begin with that the bandits are here in the first place.”

Jeralt sighed, silently signalling his man to begin preparations even as he focused his full attention on the three stubborn young adults in front of him, “Look, even if you were fresh and ready, I  _ still _ wouldn’t let you fight. Leave this to the professionals.”

He could smell the tension begin to radiate off of the blond, the sharp scent of an Alpha primed for a fight zinging across his senses. The girl  _ looked _ calm, but even she couldn’t hide the Alpha’s strong desire to fight that was most definitely twisting inside her judging by the spike in her scent. The third kid remained perfectly at ease, almost unnaturally so, watching him with a calculating look that caused Jeralt’s metaphorical hackles to rise with unease. The kids had  _ power _ , and they knew it.

_ Not your regular run of the mill, huh? _

Jeralt may have been old - even by normal standards - but his mind was sharp and his memory wasn’t so faded that he didn’t realize what the kids’ uniforms meant. Their brightly colored capes were all the more telling. The Academy may host and teach all manner of students from all over, but to even be accepted, one had to have the skills and potential or the backing to get in. To be House Leader, even more was required. Age didn’t matter at the Academy; only skill and ability did. The Black Eagle and Blue Lion leaders were obviously Alphas, most certainly of noble birth, and Jeralt would bet they each had a Crest to boot. The Golden Deer leader was unlike any noble he’d ever dealt with but the Alliance was an odd bunch, and it didn’t matter that he wasn’t an Alpha like the other two. Betas were dangerous in their own right.

Though, something about  _ that  _ didn’t seem _ quite _ right...

“Y’know…”

Jeralt raised his brows at the third kid - The Golden Deer - a sinking feeling settling in his gut as the kid  _ smiled _ at him.

“They’ll just join in on the fight even if you tell ’em ‘no’, right?” the Beta said blandly, “Dimitri’s too noble for his own good, and Edelgard may look like she could care less, but she’s no better really.”

Jeralt smiled despite himself as the two mentioned both hissed in unison, “Claude!”

“And what? You're different?” Jeralt commented, cocking a brow.

Claude shrugged, resting his arms behind his head with a smirk, “Of course. But ultimately, letting their Royalnesses run off by themselves would be more troublesome for me in the long run.”

The two Alphas in question scowled at the Beta, who grinned unrepentantly. Jeralt looked the three of them over carefully before crossing his arms with a heavy sigh, “Fine, but on  _ one _ condition.”

_ Just what have I gotten myself into? _

* * *

The old Alpha was skilled, Edelgard could admit that. The man’s confidence, the way he directed his men as the bandits fell upon them, the ease with which he wielded his lance and horse, were certainly all skills that he had gained from many years of experience. 

Jeralt the Blade Breaker. Edelgard watched as the man’s lance smashed through a bandit’s sword like it was made of ceramic, and cut through leather armor like it was warm butter. The Alpha certainly lived up to his name, and he apparently expected for the three Academy students to do the same even if he didn’t appear to know just  _ who _ exactly was in his care.

Edelgard spun away from an axe that nearly took off her arm, using the momentum to swing her own up and around to slam into the offending bandit’s side. She grit her teeth against the sickening  _ crunch  _ and  _ squelch _ as the axe’s head tore through flesh and bone. Ignored the heavy impact as it traveled through her arm and chest. Ignored the way red hot blood splattered against her neck and cheek, the stench of iron blocking out all other smells. The man couldn’t even scream as he went down, ribs mangled and eyes lifeless. Edelgard yanked her weapon free just in time to block a sword aimed at her head. She felt one of her knees almost buckle under the force and grit her teeth as the blade pressed even further. Her heart thundered in her ears, focus narrowing on her opponent.

No, not her opponent, her  _ enemy _ .

Jeralt had been adamant about the three arming themselves properly, the look of not quite disgust as he examined their training equipment amusing if they hadn’t been about to enter a battle. The old Alpha had barked at his men to provide them with  _ real _ weapons, and though Edelgard had fought and seen death first hand, she had never personally dealt a killing blow.

_ “Have any of you killed before?” _

_ Edelgard refused to flinch before the Alpha’s hard stare, the man’s tone and scent demanding an honest answer. _

_ “...Yes.” _

_ Her eyes jerked towards the side, towards Dimitri who stared the older Alpha down fearlessly, an almost overwhelming scent of regret hanging about his broad shoulders that made it impossible not to believe him, “It was several years ago.” _

_ Jeralt nodded, eyes softening just the smallest fraction before Edelgard found that gaze on her, questioning and piercing. _

_ She swallowed and straightened her shoulders, “I’ve witnessed death many times, but I have never killed before.” _

_ “Wait, really?” _

_ Edelgard scowled at Claude, opening her mouth to reprimand the other, but found herself coming up short when she saw his expression. The Beta was looking at her like he’d just witnessed something...completely unexpected but entirely pleasant. She couldn’t tell why such a look set her on edge, but she felt the Alpha in her growl menacingly.  _

_ Dimitri didn’t seem to like it either and frowned at the Beta disapprovingly, “Claude, this is no time for jokes.” _

_ “Trust me your Princeliness, you’d know if I was joking,” Claude replied, his scent refreshingly clear and...honest with actual relief, “Considering who we all are and what I know of your pasts, I’d thought we’d all have our fair share of experience by now.” _

_ The Beta winked at her, “It’s a bit moot point considering what we’re about to do, Princess, but I’m glad at least one of us doesn’t already have blood on their hands.” _

_ Edelgard stared, as did Dimitri. _

_ “Wait, you -” _

_ “Alright, enough of that now,” Jeralt interrupted with a sigh, “Glad to know you all aren’t as inexperienced as most people are. I don’t care what you three have to do, but  _ stay alive _. I don’t know why these bandits are after you three, but they mean serious business and my men and I can’t babysit you. If you’re serious about joining us, then don’t hold back.” _

_ The old Alpha’s eyes and scent sharpened, almost overwhelming with his intensity, “Kill them before they kill you.” _

Before Edelgard could work up the energy to shove her attacker away, she jerked in surprise as blood splattered across her face, the bandit falling to the side with a bloodied gurgle. The arrow piercing the man’s throat and another right between the shoulder blades made her eyes shoot up, unnaturally sharp eyes just barely catching the tail end of a bloodied, yellow cape vanishing into the trees.

_ Damn it Claude. _

Edelgard hadn’t thought they’d come across such a renowned figure as Jeralt the Blade Breaker in a backwater village like Remire. Hadn’t thought she’d find herself following the other House Leaders before she could think when the bandits she hired attacked them. Hadn’t thought her plans could be torn asunder so easily. 

When Edelgard had met the other two House Leaders for the first time some months back, she hadn’t thought much of them. Dimitri had been unfailingly polite and obnoxiously obtuse to the darker side of politics and word games that Edelgard had grown up in. Claude had been startlingly relaxed and annoyingly friendly despite being frighteningly sharp and aware of said politics. She’d dealt with them as necessary, but still found herself being dragged in little by little. Dimitri was refreshingly honest and sincere to a fault, his awkward attempts to connect with her surprisingly...nice. Claude’s friendly and lackadaisical attitude bordered on rude and improper, but the casual ease when he spoke with her was a pleasant relief.

Gradually, she found herself counting them not only as obstacles and rivals but almost something like friends.

She sucked in gasping breaths of air, hair stuck to her face as she suddenly found herself back to back with Dimitri, the two moving in sync to take on three bandits that circled them. Dimitri roared as he blocked and then skewered one straight through the chest with one decisive strike, snapping his lance in two as his Crest activated and sent the body flying. The two Alpha’s barely blinked when the second was felled by arrows in quick succession. Edelgard let out a yell as she brought her axe down, metal smashing through the last bandit’s defense - sword, armor, bone and all - with all the fury of an Alpha’s blessed strength and her Crest shining brightly. 

_ They shouldn’t have mattered. _

Edelgard gasped raggedly as she glanced up through strands of hair that had escaped her ribbons, seeing Dimitri, just as exhausted, just as blood and gore splattered, but  _ alive _ .

_ They  _ couldn’t _ matter. _

“Heeey!”

Edelgard and Dimitri both turned as Claude approached at a light jog, looking just as bloody - if not bloodier, with his left shoulder and cape a dark sickly maroon - but with a bright smile on his face.

_ But they did. _

Ignoring their current states of cleanliness, Claude immediately wrapped his arms around the both of them as soon as he was within reach, a relieved laugh escaping the Beta. Both Alphas squawked in surprise as they unbalanced and tumbled to the ground. More laughter from all three soon followed.

The battle was over and distantly, Edelgard could hear Jeralt’s loud voice issuing commands to help the injured, followed by what oddly sounded like Alois’ booming voice ordering others to chase after what was left of the bandits. For once, she found herself uninterested in the aftermath and her subsequent failure.

_ They were alive and that’s all that mattered. _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I continue this, I MIGHT toss out the notes I made on this world, cause I spent waaaay too much time on them, and I honestly love them, lol. Anyway, thanks to everyone who reads, kudos, or comments, much love y'all!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to everyone who read, commented, and/or left kudos!!!! I was not expecting such a positive response, let alone such interest. Anyway, like I mentioned in the first chapter, this is PURELY self-indulgent, so pardon...uh, that, while there is TECHNICALLY a PLOT there's going to be lots of ups and downs, not too mention delays in posting, so, yay "plot".
> 
> I'll probably need to update the tags too, but not sure how necessary that will be? Who knows. Sorry in advance.
> 
> Also, I'll probably post little world facts in the end notes from now on as they become relevant.
> 
> Cheers.

* * *

Jeralt breathed a sigh of relief -  _ how _ relieved he was, he’d take to his grave - when he finally caught sight of the three kids huddled together, bloodied, bruised and looking more like a bunch of street urchins with how disheveled they were, but gloriously  _ alive _ and relatively unscathed. He’d been worried. At first, he’d been obviously reluctant to let the kids fight with them - they were  _ kids _ after all - House Leaders be damned. But then Claude had spoken up, and Jeralt  _ knew _ he’d  _ have _ to let them fight, or otherwise risk them getting killed out of  _ negligence _ and  _ stubbornness _ on  _ both _ sides. He’d dealt with enough young men and women to know he had to pick his battles.

So, he’d prepped them as best as he could - what was the Academy  _ thinking _ , sending out mere children with  _ training equipment _ when bandits and monsters roamed - and had been unpleasantly surprised, albeit guiltily relieved, when he discovered the three were already familiar with death in some manner. Dimitri, he could understand, as Faerghus started training their children from a young age, and while Adrestia lacked the same sort of military focus as Faerghus, they were no slouches either amongst the nobles. Claude had been a surprise, being from the Alliance. They were mainly a group of obnoxious nobles that liked to squabble at their Round Table with a heavy focus on trade and politics, so Jeralt wondered how the Beta had been put in such a situation. 

Honestly speaking, Jeralt had kept his nose out of the political going ons in Fodlan ever since leaving the Church, but now he was starting to wonder if that had been a mistake.

The kids weren’t  _ normal _ , even by noble standards. And now he found himself woefully unprepared to deal with them.

Jeralt wondered, for a brief, selfish moment, if his child had lived, would they have ended up like the three before him? So young, and yet unable to remain so in the face of the power and responsibility on their shoulders?

He shook off the heart wrenching grief with years of practise before finally approaching the trio, tipping his head in acknowledgement to the few of his men who stood nearby in a protective circle around them. As much as Jeralt wished he could have kept an eye on the kids personally, the battlefield was no place for unnecessary distractions. Such things only lead to an early grave.

Knowing what he did  _ now _ though, he almost wished he  _ had _ . 

Jeralt had managed to get a few reports from his men who had been in the kids’ vicinities, thankful to hear that all three were alive and then hearing  _ the rest _ . What he’d heard had been...enlightening, and Jeralt wasn’t sure if he wanted to  _ hug _ them or  _ choke _ them.

“So,” Jeralt drawled as he came to a stop right in front of where the trio were all sitting in some manner on the ground, “Were any of you kids planning on letting me know I was dealing with the future of Fodlan’s ruling bodies, or was I supposed to just be suitably surprised when I got my head chopped off for letting one of you die?”

Dimitri at least had the courtesy to glance away guiltily, but Edelgard merely scowled and  _ Claude _ started chuckling.

“We weren’t exactly being  _ subtle _ about it though?” the Beta offered eventually when Jeralt just glared at them, “I mean, c’mon, we’d just been chased for  _ hours _ by a bunch of bandits who were trying to  _ kill _ us? How were we supposed to know we could trust you?”

Jeralt flitted through his memories, recalling several times how the Beta had referred to the other two as ‘your Princeliness’ or ‘Princess’ or something similar and feeling a bit incredulous over the entire thing. “And yet you did.”

“I liked our odds.” Claude replied with a shrug.

“ _ You _ liked them,” Edelgard finally spoke up with a growl, before turning hard eyes on Jeralt, “If anything sir, Dimitri wanted to be up front with you about it. I was against the idea.”

“So, I proposed a test of sorts,” Claude finished.

“By referring to them with ridiculous  _ nicknames _ ?”

“Hey, see! You got it!” the Beta laughed, “And what, was the fact that we’re the House Leaders not enough to show we’re important somehow? Maybe not  _ royalty _ level, but still! Most people who recognize where we’re from would know that usually means  _ old money _ .” Claude leaned back so he could rest with his hands spread behind him, “So, when you didn’t immediately turn into a cliche villain and try to ransom us off or take my offer for payment, I knew we were set.”

Jeralt pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh, not having the energy to deal with the Golden Deer’s logic, and also feeling like an idiot  _ since he had noticed _ but just hadn’t been able to put it together. At least, not until he’d learned what Crests the kids all bore.

“It still woulda been nice knowing I  _ was  _ dealing with royalty, you insufferable brat,” Jeralt growled, then leaned forward to jab a finger at the kid’s shoulder - the one that looked like a sword had slashed through it - but only felt healthy unmarred skin through torn material, “Do you know how horrified my men were when they saw you go down? Only for you to pop right back up like a daisy after killing a bandit?”

Dimitri and Edelgard both straightened up with interest, and Claude groaned as he fell onto his back, “Aw, c’mon I’m alive aren’t I? It wasn’t as bad as it looked!”

Jeralt roughly kicked the kid’s foot, causing the Beta to jerk upwards in surprise and actually  _ pout _ at him, “Now you’re just being  _ mean _ .”

“Consider it pay back,” Jeralt retorted, feeling his own heart rate speed up at the memory of his men’s report, “Knowing what Crests you three have would have been useful in coming up with a proper strategy. Don’t do it again.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” Claude replied breezily, then visibly paused before sitting up properly, “Wait, ‘again’?”

Jeralt rolled his eyes, “Yes, I’ll be escorting you three alongside the Knights.” Then, under his breath, “Alois wouldn’t let me hear the end of it if I tried to skip out.”

Dimitri, who had been staring at Claude with pursed lips turned towards the other Alpha with a look of surprise, “You’re escorting us? Why?”

Jeralt snorted and crossed his arms, “Y’all were  _ just _ fighting for your lives against bandits, and you’re asking  _ why _ ? Besides, it’s only till we reach Garreg Mach. That a problem?”

“N-no, of course not!” Dimitri flushed as he raised his hands, “I just wasn’t expecting it.”

Claude hummed next to him, “So that’s what you two were talking about. I have to go with his Princeliness on this one, I thought you were going to run for the hills when you saw Alois, ‘Captain’.”

The old Alpha coughed, surprised and embarrassed to have apparently been overheard without his knowing, “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m no ‘Captain’.”

“No, but you  _ were _ the Captain of the Knights some twenty years ago, correct?” Edelgard put in, “Your reputation precedes you...Captain.”

Claude snickered and Jeralt sighed, “I’m going to regret this, aren’t I.”

“Hey, say what you will, Cap,” The Beta positively  _ beamed _ when the Alpha growled at him, “But, you  _ totally _ could have refused Alois’ invitation, doesn’t matter that they’re ‘The Knights of Seiros’!” this was said in an abnormally  _ deep _ voice, obviously in an attempt to mimic said Knight which caused Dimitri to sputter out a laugh, before Claude continued normally, “C’mon, admit it, you actually like us!” 

Edelgard’s lips twitched suspiciously as Jeralt half-heartedly swiped at the back of the Beta’s head - who ducked away - and Dimitri coughed loudly into his fist.

“The day I start liking a bunch of upstart  _ brats _ like you three is the day I die.” Jeralt huffed, though he could tell he was fooling no one by the pleased smiles aimed at him, “Trust me, I’m only sticking around long enough to make sure you actually make it back safely.”

Claude  _ winked _ at him, “Whatever you say Cap.”

* * *

Garreg Mach Monastery.

Even after twenty years, the place remained as stalwart and timeless as ever. Jeralt didn’t recognize anyone as he walked the vast halls or courtyards, and there were far more cats and dogs everywhere, but it was essentially the same. That familiarity was only further solidified as he entered the audience chamber.

Rhea.

Her light green hair had grown longer, but that was the only difference. The Archbishop of the Church of Seiros was as timeless as Garreg Mach itself; just as serene and  _ terrifying _ as she had been all those years ago. Jeralt refused to let his anxiety show - kept his emotions under lock and key - as he finally stopped a respectable distance away from the woman he had once served whole-heartedly in the past. 

A woman he could now honestly say frightened him beyond imagining.

“Jeralt, it is so good to see you,” Rhea spoke, her voice calm like a fathomless pool, her smile as radiant and gentle as a candle flame, “You have no idea how happy I am to have you at Garreg Mach once more.”

“Likewise, Lady Rhea, “ Jeralt replied roughly, bowing in the traditional manner despite how stilted the action felt after so many years, “However, my men and I do not plan on staying for long. We will be gone within the hour.”

“So soon? At least stay the night to rest and resupply.”

Jeralt barely suppressed a twitch, eyes swinging towards the man standing just a little behind Rhea’s shoulder - the man who  _ had _ been standing there the entire time - with a blink of surprise.

Rhea, seemingly sheepish, motioned to the other behind her with a lazy hand, “This is Seteth, my assistant and a dear friend. If I am unavailable for any reason, you may ask for him.” 

Jeralt raised a brow as Seteth bowed, fist pressed to his chest, before the man continued, “You have done us a great service in protecting and escorting our students back safely. Please, allow us to repay your kindness appropriately.”

“It is as Seteth says,” Rhea added with another calm smile, “It would be unbecoming of the Church to not repay you in some manner. Whatever you and your men may need, report to Seteth and we shall provide. As long as you remain within these walls, you shall know the Church’s generosity and protection. I would also greatly enjoy the opportunity to hear of what you’ve been doing since leaving the Monastery.”

Jeralt clenched his jaw and performed another stiff bow, something which he was sure both noticed but refrained from commenting on. If he tried to refuse anymore, it’d be seen as offensive, and he did  _ not _ want to deal with the repercussions. He didn’t know what Rhea was after, but he sincerely doubted it was to  _ catch up _ .

“Of course, thank you Lady Rhea.”

The Archbishop smiled and turned towards Seteth, “Please see to it.”

“Consider it done, Lady Rhea.” 

They spoke little before Rhea dismissed both of them. As Jeralt followed Seteth out of the Audience Chamber, he felt the heavy and piercing weight of eyes on his back until the chamber doors closed behind him.

* * *

“Brother!”

“Hey, Cap!”

Jeralt felt the Alpha inside bristle with a hiss, and he tightened his hold on it as he and Seteth came to a surprised halt just outside the Audience Chamber. A young woman - with startling bright  _ green _ hair and eyes - and  _ Claude _ of all people, perked up upon seeing them. Seteth let out a low sigh and crossed his arms, coming to a halt just in front of the two kids.

“Flayn, Claude, what are you two doing here?” Seteth’s gaze narrowed on the Golden Deer Leader in particular, “If I recall correctly, I do believe classes are still in session.”

The Beta let out a chuckle and crossed his arms behind his head, “Kind of hard to have class when we don’t have a teacher to teach us Seteth.”

Jeralt could tell the comment had struck a nerve of some kind as Seteth’s shoulders slumped just the smallest of fractions, even as the man’s voice turned stern, “Be that as it may, Professors Manuela and Hanneman are no doubt  _ missing _ your presence in the classroom.”

Claude flapped a hand carelessly and Jeralt had to give it to the kid. The Beta either had nerves of steel, no sense of self-preservation or couldn’t  _ tell _ who or  _ what _ he was dealing with. Or perhaps, the kid just didn’t  _ care _ .

Perks of being a Beta, Jeralt assumed.

Cause Jeralt had taken one long and subtle breath of Seteth’s scent as he’d followed him out of the Audience Chamber. 

_ Danger. _

The man - if Jeralt could even  _ call _ Seteth a  _ man  _ \- caused all his instincts to flare bright red in a sort of  _ fight _ or  _ flight  _ response. The fact that Seteth had green hair and eyes - a color Jeralt had learned to associate with the Church - was certainly something that Jeralt had noted suspiciously, but the man  _ smelt _ and  _ felt  _ like Rhea.

It was _very_ faint, just the _barest_ _trace_ of _something_ that was _not quite_ right. 

Jeralt doubted anyone would - or  _ had _ \- noticed. Goddess,  _ he’d _ only noticed because he was  _ highly _ attuned to Rhea even after so many years and because he had a  _ healthy _ dose of fear of her. It wasn’t the sort of scent that  _ lovers _ shared, but of  _ family _ \- of  _ kin _ , of  _ power _ , and  _ other _ \- and it set Jeralt further on edge. If this had been a battle, Jeralt would have been dead the moment he’d stepped into the chamber with the way he’d been so focused on Rhea.

Jeralt would have to work on that.

But before that…

“What’re you after, kid?” Jeralt sighed, running a hand through his hair in exasperation.

Barely a day’s worth of interaction and Jeralt could already feel a familiar sense of dread settle in his stomach. He was too old for this.

Claude’s smile would have looked perfectly at home on a cat that’d caught the canary, “I’m wounded Cap! I was just helping Flayn out.”

“It is true,” Flayn offered earnestly, “I’d heard there was someone new in the Monastery and wanted to introduce myself properly. Claude informed me that you were currently in the Audience Chamber.”

Jeralt hid a grimace as the young girl bowed at him, “It is a pleasure to meet you sir, I’m Seteth’s little sister, Flayn. I do hope you plan on staying, it has been so long since someone new has come through.”

_ Omega. _

It was more an afterthought than anything, something the Alpha noted keenly, but something that Jeralt only fully comprehended as he finally noticed the delicate Lace decorating the girl’s slim neck and shoulders. Simple in design, covering her completely from the neck down to the swell of her breast, gold thread woven into swirling patterns on black leather and navy blue fabric. What were probably gold silk ties kept the Lace closed in the front, a hefty looking antique brooch pinning the ties in place. It blended almost seamlessly with the girl’s clothes, and Jeralt probably would have missed it if it weren’t for the Alpha pacing in his head.

“Nice to meet you Flayn,” he offered awkwardly, “Please, call me Jeralt. And we’re only staying long enough to rest up before moving on.”

“Oh,” Flayn straightened up, lips downturned in sadness, “I am sorry to hear that.”

Jeralt was hit with guilt as the girl’s doe eyes turned on him, the scent of  _ disappointment _ filling his nose even through the Lace’s thick material.

_ Curse his better sense of smell. _

“Don’t worry Flayn,” Claude piped in gently, making an aborted motion towards the girl when Seteth’s eyes zeroed in on him at the action, “I’m sure the Cap’ll hang around long enough for us to get sick of him. If nothing else, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind chatting while he’s here!”

Jeralt arched a brow pointedly at the Beta who shrugged helplessly in response when Flayn wasn’t looking, the Omega’s attention turning towards Seteth hopefully, “Brother?”

Seteth cleared his throat loudly, “I’m sure the Captain will have time to talk later, but for now we need to find him and his men a place to rest and some supplies. Flayn, would you like to accompany us?”

The Omega visibly brightened, scent flowering open like the sun, and Jeralt scowled at Claude who - while not showing any visible signs of amusement -  _ smelt _ highly amused. The amusement vanished instantly as Flayn glanced over at Claude with a smile, who merely gave the girl two thumbs up and a wink. The Omega giggled, scent calming and floral. The Beta’s scent...

Jeralt frowned.

_ Something’s wrong. _ However, he didn’t have a chance to address it as Seteth and Flayn lead the way, away from the Audience Chamber and Claude. Jeralt glanced over his shoulder just in time to catch the flutter of yellow-gold disappearing behind the double doors with a  _ thud _ .

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Fodlan custom, Omegas wear Laces; a protective and decorative piece that completely covers the wearer’s neck, parts of the shoulders and down around the collarbones. While protecting the wearer from unwanted advances and possible abuse, it also helps prevent the wearer’s pheromones from escaping. The types of materials used, the color/s, embroidery/stitching, and type of a Lace all have different meanings and so Laces are usually considered one of a kind, made specifically for the wearer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented and left kudos last chapter!!! Y'all're the BEST. This chap is pretty short and like, NOTHING happens, but, well. *shrugs* It's going to be a slow ride.
> 
> **EDIT, I forgot I was planning on sharing world notes, so, added some to the End Notes. Maybe that'll make up for the short chapter length. :P
> 
> Cheers.

* * *

He should’ve _known_.

Jeralt cursed Rhea under his breath, stabbing his lance forward with perhaps more force than necessary, but all the more satisfactory to the Alpha howling in his head. The bandit screamed as iron pierced flesh and broke bone and Jeralt kicked out a leg to dislodge his weapon as he twisted his horse to meet another bandit’s sword with a yell.

_He should’ve known_.

What was supposed to have been a night’s rest had turned into a _week-long job_ . A week of scouring the land for the damned bandits that had tried to kill three kids. Of course, Rhea was tricky. She hadn’t asked Jeralt personally. No, she’d left it up to the _kids_ . Not that _they’d_ asked directly either. No, Jeralt just hadn’t been able to do _nothing_ when the Academy handed out their month’s assignments - the morning that he and his mercenaries were leaving - and The Golden Deer had been assigned _bandit duty_.

No, Claude had _volunteered_ for it.

_The Alpha had been anxious all morning as Jeralt had saddled up his horse, checking with his men that they had everything they needed - double and_ triple _checking like a worried mother - and after one too many odd looks from his men, Jeralt had sighed and stomped back into the Monastery. For an Alpha, Jeralt had a very good sense of smell. Nowhere near an Omega’s level, and not quite at a Beta’s either, but still much sharper than most. For most people, being able to smell another’s scent and decipher it was second nature - even if it wasn’t on a conscious level - but being able to smell_ pheromones _and be able to tell the difference was another beast all together. For Betas, that wasn’t a problem as they had their Immunity, able to act and react as they pleased even in the face of a distressed Omega or a furious Alpha. Didn’t mean they_ wouldn’t _react in such circumstances, but they didn’t_ instinctively _\- without_ thought _\- do anything and everything to_ fix it _. Alphas and Omegas weren’t so lucky on that front. One could say that Alphas had it worse, being_ unable _to tell the difference between emotions and reactions from_ pheromones _, whereas others would say Omegas were worse off, being_ able _to tell the difference between the two but still_ unable _to react any differently._

_In Jeralt’s experience and opinion, both sucked equally._

_And as of right now, the Alpha in Jeralt was_ reacting _to something or_ someone _and it was going to drive him_ bonkers _if he didn’t find out what or_ who _the source was. So he followed his nose. The fact that it didn’t appear that any_ other _Alphas or Omegas were going stir crazy told Jeralt that it was being_ actively _kept under wraps. Which was good. It just sucked that Jeralt, being as sensitive as he was, was being affected anyway. That it was_ only _Jeralt, only made his heart sink cause there were only a few people in the Monastery that his Alpha could’ve latched onto in the short amount of time he’d been there._

_His nose led him straight to the double doors flanked by yellow-gold banners and yanked them open. Several pairs of wide eyes landed on him, and almost instantly did Jeralt feel the Alpha finally settle down, only to become greatly agitated at what he smelt. He saw Claude, half way turned in his seat with an open expression of surprise on his young features, the rest of the students staring at him - a girl with short orange hair sparked a faint sense of deja vu - before fixing his gaze up at the front, where Seteth and two adult Betas stood. The woman with short hair and a ridiculously inappropriate dress must have been Manuela and the grey haired man wearing a monocle and scholarly robes must have been Hanneman. Jeralt vaguely recalled Seteth and Flayn describing them yesterday. But all that took a backseat in the face of what smelled like a_ fight _, frustration, displeasure, and worry wafting off the three faculty members._

_Off of Seteth in particular._

_Seteth frowned, “Jeralt, what in the world -?”_

_Jeralt scowled, feeling a growl begin to rumble in the back of his throat, “What’s going on?”_

_“Good sir, I hardly think -”_

_The Alpha_ snarled _, the sound filling the classroom like thunder, and Hannemen’s mouth immediately shut before the Beta flushed in anger, “Why I never - !”_

_“_ Jeralt _."_

_Jeralt_ felt _Seteth’s silent command of_ yield _work against his Alpha’s instincts to_ fight _and used the other Alpha as a distraction to pull himself together and tuck the Alpha firmly back. He sighed, shoulders relaxing, and flexed his hands before crossing his arms to hopefully hide how they were trembling minutely. The air in the classroom was near suffocating with spiking emotions now and Jeralt grimaced, knowing he was the cause of distress._

_“Sorry, won’t happen again.”_

_“I should think_ not _,” Mannuela snapped harshly, the older Beta kneeling beside a girl with pale blue hair who was curled tightly into a ball and trembling something fierce underneath her desk. A girl with bright pink hair pulled into pigtails was glaring at_ him _with all the anger of an Alpha, along with a pompis looking boy with the oddest violet hair he’d seen. The other students - the girl with orange hair, one with bone white locks, and two boys, one waifish with glasses, the other hulking with muscle - didn’t seem to know_ what _to do, glancing at each other helplessly._

_“Jeeze Cap, way to make an entrance.”_

_Jeralt watched almost numbly as Claude stood up from his seat, making his way over to the blue haired girl - an_ Omega _\- and calmly whispering to her, kneeling a respectable distance away so as not to crowd but still_ present _. That seemed to clear the air immediately, the pink haired Alpha jumping up from her seat to rush to the Omega, while the other students started talking and whispering to each other._

_“Jeralt, a_ word _.”_

_Jeralt was old, probably the oldest person at Garreg Mach besides Rhea and perhaps Seteth, but he’d never felt so ridiculously_ young _when the shorter Alpha dragged him to the training grounds and tore into him with all the disappointed anger of a parent. Jeralt dragged a hand down his face in relief once Seteth had calmed down, scent still noticeably displeased, but not at the boiling point it had been. Jeralt could at least easily say that his respect for the other had gone_ way _up, if not his already present wariness. He also wasn’t sure what to think of the fact that his Alpha had apparently been reacting to_ Seteth _of all people._

_The other Alpha let out a long-suffering sigh, the last traces of irritability fading into a much more pleasant and calm scent of ocean breezes, “What_ were _you trying to do back there Jeralt? I can only assume it_ wasn’t _to scare our students into an early grave.”_

_Jeralt at least had the grace to look guilty and rubbed the back of his neck, “The Alpha was in a mood.”_

_“A_ mood _, is it?” Seteth drawled, his tone thoughtful instead of condescending as Jeralt had expected, “...I see.”_

_“Look,” Jeralt sighed, “Whatever is going on, I want in.”_

_The other Alpha arched a brow in surprise, arms crossing with interest, “Is that right?”_

_“I know it’s ridiculous, but I have a feeling the Alpha ain’t going to exactly_ listen _when I tell it_ no _.” Jeralt frowned, “And if it’s got anything to do with those kids, I want in.”_

_Seteth stared at him for a long, silent moment. Just as Jeralt felt like he was going to burst out of his own skin the other finally spoke, “We were discussing what to do for this month’s assignments.”_

_Jeralt blinked, “That’s it?”_

_“Not quite. As you may recall, we are one teacher short at the moment. Mannuela and Hanneman are already pulling double duty to make sure all three of the Houses are properly taught. However, the requests we received this month are time sensitive and the two of them can’t be in two places at once. I’d step in myself but I’m needed here at the Monastery. Any of the other Knights who’d be suitable are already out on missions of their own. Hanneman and Mannuela were set to teach the Blue Lions and Black Eagles respectively before the incident a couple days ago.”_

_“Which leaves the Golden Deer…”_

_“Without a teacher at present, yes.”_

_“And what assignment were you going to give them?”_

_Seteth’s lips twisted, his scent souring in distaste and frustration, and Jeralt was actually relieved to see the man express such human emotions. It reflected the Alpha in a better light than Rhea in Jeralt’s mind._

_“The Golden Deer class is to track and subdue a group of bandits that have been using the Red Canyon as their base of operations for the past couple weeks. They’ve already raided and pillaged several nearby villages, and most recently...” Seteth’s expression turned absolutely_ frosty _, “...they attempted to kill students from the Academy.”_

_Jeralt stiffened, the Alpha rumbling awake in his mind, “And you’re sending_ them _? Without a teacher?”_

_“Do_ not, _” Seteth growled, the sound rumbling all the way through Jeralt’s chest and the stone floor beneath his feet, “think for a_ moment _that I agreed to this lunacy. Rhea was adamant that the situation be dealt with as soon as possible and Claude agreed to it.”_

_If Jeralt had been thinking a little clearer, he might have taken interest in the other Alpha’s lack of formality in addressing the Archbishop, but as it was, all he could really think about was_ Claude. _Claude, who had been waiting in front of the Audience Chamber with Flayn. Claude, who Jeralt hadn’t been able to get a straight answer from. Claude, who apparently had agreed to hunt down the very bandits that had tried to kill him and his fellow Leaders not even two days ago._

Damn brat has a death wish _, Jeralt thought furiously,_ And he’s dragging the rest of his classmates with him.

_“I’ll watch over them.”_

_The words left his mouth before he could actually think about it, and Seteth didn’t look surprised at all. If anything he looked_ relieved _._

_“It seems we are in your debt once more, Captain.” Seteth bowed deeply, “May the Goddess watch over you all.”_

So here Jeralt was, after spending several days tracking and chasing and corralling the damn bandits into the Red Canyon, killing them alongside a bunch of _kids_ and their battalions. Thankfully, his own men were here as well, spreading themselves amongst the students and making sure everyone stayed in one piece. Jeralt smacked an arrow out of the air, eyes sweeping across the ruins in front of him for the kids. He had a stray moment to thank the Goddess for blessing the kids with colorful hair.

Made them easier to spot in all the chaos.

Pink, blue, and purple - the three were working in tandem on the west side, cutting down their foes and using the narrow stairs to their advantage.

Orange, green, yellow, white - they were working on the north side, slowly making their way through towards the lower level of the ruins, just like their classmates.

_Where is…?_

He kicked his horse forward while twisting in his saddle, heart picking up speed the longer he failed to catch sight of the House Leader, “Dammit, where are you kid?”

“Captain Jeralt!”

The Alpha turned, eyes locking with Leonie’s as she wildly waved at him before jabbing towards the lower level, “Claude’s in trouble!”

Jeralt was urging his horse before the young Beta had even finished, prompting his mount to leap into the fight and pushing past down the stairs. He could hear the kids rallying behind him, taking care of any stragglers as they followed. Almost immediately he spotted Claude. The Beta’s battalion were busy dealing with their own opponents, leaving Claude to fight on his own amongst a set of stone pillars. The Beta was clumsily wielding a rusting ax with one hand, his other arm hanging uselessly at his side and dripping blood with the pieces of his bow scattered across the ground.

And bearing down on him with all the desperation of a man with nothing to lose, was the bandit leader. Bloodied holes covered the man’s torso like weeping roses, the broken shafts of a couple arrows still present while red painted one side of the man’s face from where an eye should have been. Blood flew as the man screamed and roared in a bloodied frenzy as the bandit tried to hit Claude.

Jeralt urged his mount to go faster.

He watched as Claude barely ducked and rolled under the bandit’s wild swing, swiping out at the man’s exposed legs. The bandit skipped aside, snarling as Claude’s ax still managed to draw blood and countered with an Alpha’s unnatural speed and strength. Claude leapt backwards, raising his weapon in front of himself to block but it wasn’t enough. Even above the cacophony of battle, Jeralt still heard the Beta’s pained grunt as the Alpha’s strike smashed through the House Leader’s rusty weapon and threw him to the ground. Now sporting a large slash across his chest, Claude barely twisted away from the bandit’s next strike, smashing the broken handle of his ax into the side of the man’s knee with brutal force.

The bandit howled as he went down _hard_ the sound of bone and cartilage breaking piercing the air as the Beta scrambled to put distance between them. The bandit’s hand shot out, latching onto the Beta’s ankle and Claude yelped as he was yanked down and across the ground towards the bandit, the ragged Alpha managing to pin the young man underneath him.

The bandit’s hands closed around the struggling Beta’s throat in a death grip, “Fucking brat, _I’ll kill you!_ ”

Jeralt was hurling his spear before he even realized it.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Class Types:**
> 
> One common trait shared by all the Class types is a sensitive sense of smell in regards to pheromones. The instinctive nature of hierarchy is another. Classes have been known to be a genetic trait passed down through bloodlines. Nobles have consistently produced strong Alphas and Omegas, which most likely lead to their Noble status in the ancient past on top of their Crests.
> 
> **Alpha:** 30% of the population (10% female, 20% male)
> 
> Alphas are born with superior physical ability compared to the other Classes. This is shown easily with superhuman strength, reflexes and the like, making them ideal warriors and protectors. While Alpha Males are highly sought out for their virility, vitality, strength and so on, Alpha Females have gained something of stigma over the ages. Though they are just as physically capable - if not actually stronger - than their male counterparts, they are practically considered barren. Alpha Females also have even less control over their pheromones than Alpha Males. The success rate of an Alpha Female carrying to term has been less than 10%, the child surviving, less than 5%. As such, they make for poor match ups in the eyes of the Nobles, where bloodlines are essential. For all Alphas, their rut cycle is when they are at their most sensitive to pheromones and their virility/fertility is at its highest. Alpha Males go through a quarterly cycle that can last anywhere from a day to a week, or in some rare cases, several hours or weeks at a time. Alpha Females go through a biannual cycle that can last anywhere from 3 days to a week, or in some rare cases, several weeks at a time. While the other Classes will have an instinctual urge to ‘submit’ to an Alpha’s command, the Alphas inability to control their pheromones makes it possible to ignore such instincts. However, on the flip side of the Alpha’s lack of control, their pheromones can be seen as ‘explosive’ and ‘honest’ when they experience strong emotions. Alphas are not as sensitive to pheromones as Omegas, but they’re still highly susceptible to them even if they can’t always “smell” them consciously. Though personal scents vary wildly from individual to individual, Alphas tend to have a ‘sharp’ undertone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay folks, my muse is a fickle mistress even when we aren't dealing with pandemics and other chaos. SUPER short chap, but, at least it's something.
> 
> ALSO, THANK YOU ALL WHO COMMENTED AND LEFT KUDOS. Y'ALL'RE THE BEST!! *BOWS DEEPLY*

* * *

_Definitely not one of your brighter moments Claude_.

Even as his vision blackened, and he felt his windpipe start to collapse under the Alpha’s brutal hands, Claude’s mind was still racing. 

Claude just, really hadn’t been able to help himself. He wanted _answers_ . So when Rhea summoned him - and hadn’t _that_ been nerve wracking for so many reasons - and gave him the _perfect_ opportunity to get some, Claude had jumped at the chance. It was just, a bit of a shame that he hadn’t gotten any so far, and that his mind was making more headway on theories alone like a forest fire in summer even as he physically struggled to stay alive.

 _Why had bandits tried to kill them?_ _Technically they were_ still _trying to kill them, case in point, though to be fair, the Church were the instigators at the moment._

Experience had been a cruel mistress over the years, and even as Claude felt himself losing to the pain, the bloodloss, and the lack of oxygen, his only working hand instinctively reached for the knife he always kept on him.

_Money? Cliche, but made more sense then personal vendetta, unless their Royalnesses had something to hide. Gods knew Claude had his own share of secrets._

Within seconds of grasping smooth ivory, Claude was shoving his hidden dagger upwards, feeling it slide smoothly between the Alpha’s ribs with practised ease. Unfortunately the angle was all wrong, Claude couldn’t make a killing blow, not an instantaneous one at any rate. The Alpha howled and tightened his grip on Claude’s neck. The sound of cartilage breaking echoed through Claude’s skull like thunder, the pain overwhelming as his throat was crushed.

_“This wasn’t a part of the deal! No one said anything about the Knights of Seiros!” Claude remembered the Alpha shouting that during their first fight in Remire. He hadn’t had the time to process that bit of information though since a bandit nearly took his arm off at that point._

Claude adjusted his hold on his weapon and stabbed the Alpha once, twice more in the side before he felt his Crest finally kick into gear. Not enough for a full recovery but enough for him to breathe again, if the Alpha wasn’t currently _choking_ him.

 _A deal implied a third party’s involvement, implied that someone had hired a group of bandits to kill them. Did they want to kill_ all _of the future heirs, or just_ one _of them? Or were they just conveniently there and the target was anyone from the Academy?_

He tried bucking the man off, heels scrambling against stone for purchase. The action was just enough for Claude to readjust his grip on his dagger, just enough for the Alpha’s weight to shift a fraction, and just enough for the Alpha’s vital points to be reachable.

 _Y’know...Only a few people had been aware of their mission to begin with, so how had the bandits found them in the first place? Their former professor? They’d certainly been_ useless _when the attack happened, running away at the first opportunity...then again,_ Claude _had done something similar, if for different reasons._

Before Claude could get in another hit - he had to go for the _heart_ or the _throat_ \- the Alpha suddenly disappeared from above him, the crunching sound of bone and flesh tearing oddly loud even as Claude’s own heartbeat and gasping, ragged breaths filled his ears.

 _Maybe one of his fellow House Leaders? No, Dimitri was too straightforward and earnest for something like this, his reactions and emotions too honest to be faked. There wasn’t any plausible reason either that Claude could imagine for the Crown Prince of Fhaergus wanting them dead. Edelgard perhaps? Edelgard_ had _seemed more_ frustrated _than anything, and he couldn’t think of any reason either, but she was certainly capable -_

He barely registered the thundering of hooves fast approaching or when a large body slid next to him, but when rough hands fell upon him, Claude was swiping out with his dagger. He felt the blade meeting resistance before a large, warm hand caught his wrist.

“ _Whoa_ , easy kid, I gotcha.”

Claude blinked blood out of his eyes - when had _that_ happened - and stared up into Jeralt’s haggard face before glancing dazedly towards where the bandit leader lay. A spear - most likely Jeralt’s - protruded through the bandit’s entire torso at an angle, the body crumpled in a heap a solid ten feet away. Absently, Claude’s mind calculated how much strength and accuracy that would have taken to achieve.

But, most notably, the guy was most assuredly _dead_.

_Pity._

Claude hadn’t been able to get _anything_ out of the bandit.

_Though he probably hadn’t known anything to begin with, all things considered._

“Quite an arm ya got there, Cap,” Claude rasped quietly, the very action causing his eyes to water painfully and his breath to hitch, which hurt just as much honestly. 

_This was a waste of time really. Oh well. He and his classmates would have come regardless…_

He raised his hand - his dagger still held firmly - to press a couple fingers gingerly against his throat. Claude could feel the heat emanating from it, wincing as just the lightest touch stung and burned red hot, traces of blood covering his fingertips when he dropped his hand. He probably looked like he’d gotten mauled, which was pretty damn accurate. Claude tried to sit up properly only to hiss as his whole body protested, before Jeralt wrapped an arm behind his shoulders to prop him up. He suppressed the instinct to raise his dagger to a flinch, which he played off with another pained hiss as his line of sight became more vertical.

Unfortunately it wasn’t _completely_ an act, the constant thrum of _pain_ and _burning_ drowning his senses.

“Goddess kid,” the Alpha growled as he pulled out a vulnerary, “This’ll hold you over until we get you to a healer. What were you thinkin’?”

Claude honestly didn’t have the energy, let alone the mental capacity at the moment to answer _that_ question. He just wanted to sleep. For like a week. But Jeralt’s presence and scent were nagging at him, distracting him from his previous train of thought.

 _Not safe_ . _Focus._

The Alpha’s eyes and face were surprisingly calm, but with Claude practically in the man’s lap, the smell of _fear_ , _horror_ , _worry_ and _relief_ were all too easily noticed even with the stench of blood clogging up his nose. Small favors he supposed, Claude’d probably be sneezing up a storm with how potent the Alpha’s current scent was. However, his ability - or inability - to smell anything else right now was making it hard to focus and Claude was becoming uncomfortably conscious of Jeralt’s presence. Instinct had Claude pushing away from Jeralt even as his body protested and his vision swam dangerously.

“Relax Cap, I’ve had worse.” Claude hissed past the crackling coals in his throat, consciously exuding _calm_ and _safe_ and _alive_. 

Only once he felt the Alpha start to relax and Claude heard the voices of his classmates approaching did Claude lose the battle to stay conscious.

* * *

The return trip to Garreg Mach was mostly spent in exhausted silence and Jeralt made sure to keep a watchful eye on all of hi- _the_ students. They’d brought a few covered wagons with them for the journey to hold weapons and extra supplies, so most of the students had been encouraged - _forced_ , in some stubborn cases - to ride amongst the baggage. If Jeralt rode behind each wagon every few minutes to check on them, none of his men or the Knights said a thing. He noted with some amusement and interest how the students had divided themselves though. 

Hilda was snuggled up with Marianne, the two fast asleep and hands clasped together tightly, a blanket tucked around their shoulders. Lorenz was seated across from Hilda, his arms crossed and his chin tucked to his chest, occasionally jolting awake with an embarrassed flush across his pale features. Lysithea was passed out further in the wagon, curled beneath a wool blanket that Marianne had tucked around the younger girl. Both Alphas had their weapons still readily in reach, and were closest to the wagon’s opening. In the other wagon, Raphael practically took up the entire floor, snoring loudly and limbs out spread like a child. Tucked neatly into his sides were Ignatz and Leonie, the whole bunch draped with a couple blankets. Then there was Claude, bundled comfortably in a far corner, wrapped liberally in bandages and blankets alike, resting against the wagon’s wall with his legs curled beneath him. Jeralt couldn’t help noting how one of Raphael’s hands occasionally brushed against the House Leader’s legs whenever the wagon jolted, or that you’d have to get past all three Betas to actually reach the Beta in the back. 

_It was…_

Jeralt grimaced to himself in embarrassment.

He wasn’t even a teacher, let alone _their_ teacher, and he felt _proud_ of them.

It hadn’t been pretty

 _Killing_ was _never_ pretty.

Many of the students had never been in real combat, let alone _killed_ before. Some handled it better than the others, but Jeralt made a mental note to speak with each of them individually after this was all over. Hilda had been surprisingly fierce on the battlefield, covering Marianne who backed her up alongside Lorenz, the other Alpha joining Hilda on the front lines or providing offensive support with well-placed fire spells. Raphael had been a literal wall of fists and feet, working together with Leonie and her lance while Ignatz and Lysithea backed them up with arrows and spells. Claude had given him and his classmates a heart attack, and Jeralt planned on having _words_ with the kid, but the House Leader had apparently directed his battalion masterfully - if the Knights’ praises were anything to go by - and he’d stayed alive long enough for Jeralt to deal the finishing blow.

Claude had regained consciousness when they were making preparations to head back, staying awake long enough to down a concotion one of Jeralt’s men had blessedly had on hand and offer a few pained words of comfort to Marianne before falling into an exhausted sleep. The poor Omega had been close to tears, her scent overpowering with guilt and grief when it became apparent she didn’t have the magical power left to heal the Beta, but after Claude’s words and Hilda’s encouragement, she’d settled down somewhat. Jeralt made a note to himself to see about getting more personnel with Faith skills to lessen the strain, or to help train the Omega more. Perhaps Lysithea and Lorenz could learn - 

Jeralt internally groaned, the idea that’d been slowly but surely taking root in his mind ever since stepping foot in Garreg Mach finally sprouting and taking shape.

_Damn kids’re gonna be the death of me._

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Beta:**   
>  50% of the population (25% female, 25% male)
> 
> Betas are, oddly enough, the most ‘normal’ of all the Classes, in the sense that their Class has little effect on their day to day lives. While they are physically at a disadvantage when compared to Alphas, their superior senses of smell, sight and hearing make them formidable in their own right. On top of that, they are, for all intents and purposes, unaffected by pheromones unless in extreme cases. That is not to say that they can’t smell pheromones, but they are able to act without being influenced by them. This makes them ideal as advisors, ambassadors, and other politically sensitive roles. The most common role they take however, is providing a buffer between Alphas and Omegas, and any combination of the two. While they lack the pheromone control of an Omega, with their pheromone ‘immunity’ they are able to provide assistance with a clear head. Betas do not experience a cycle like Alphas and Omegas do, their virility/fertility is average though its less likely for an Alpha or Omega to be born with a Beta involved. Perhaps due to their ‘immunity’, their levels of pheromones are much less compared to Alphas and Omegas, and they give off a ‘fresh’ undertone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This entire thing is pure self-indulgence and my need to wax lyrical about Claude. Through Dimitri. While somehow moving the "plot" along a little bit.
> 
> .........You've been warned.
> 
> **ALSO, THANK YOU ALL TO THOSE WHO COMMENTED, LEFT KUDOS AND THE LIKE. I SINCERELY appreciate ALL of them and I SEE YOU. *BOWS DEEPLY*

* * *

_ “Hey your Princeliness, burning the midnight oil, huh?” _

_ Dimitri glanced up from the book he was reading, closing the cover as the Golden Deer Leader pulled out the chair across from him. He tried to smile, but had a feeling he failed miserably when the Beta’s brows rose in barely hidden amusement, scent gaining a hint of ginger and cinnamon like the pastries that Mercedes had baked earlier. Dimitri let out a long exhale, trying to avoid taking in a lungful of the scent.  _

_ He failed miserably at that too as Claude unabashedly leaned across the table to take a peek at his current reading material, sweet scent filling the space between them. _

_ “Huh, I thought I was the only one who was interested in the Church’s financial records,” Claude hummed curiously before catching Dimitri’s eyes from beneath his lashes, “A bit of a dry read, but if your aim is to fall asleep, then by all means.” _

_ Dimitri huffed out a laugh, leaning back in his chair to escape the Beta’s scent that was overpowering his senses in an all too pleasant way. He staunchly ignored the Alpha purring in the back of his mind. _

_ “Should I be worried that you’re already familiar enough with the contents to give me a review on it?” Dimitri quipped with a small smile, relaxing in his seat as the Beta chuckled in response. _

_ “Hey, I can’t help that I’m a sucker for knowledge, even  _ if _ it’s the most boring, dry piece of reading ever known to Fodlan.” Claude smirked, resting his chin in the palm of his hand and setting his own book on the table in front of him, “Though, I can’t really point fingers when I’m currently reading about the genealogy of the Leicester Alliance. Did you know that some of our family trees barely had more than a couple different branches until some hundred years ago just to keep the bloodlines pure?”  _

_ The Beta gave an exaggerated shudder, and Dimitri couldn’t help laughing as Claude’s scent turned vanilla sweet. He drew in a breath and held it with a silent sigh. _

_ Even after four years, Dimitri wasn’t used to being able to  _ smell _ so much. Before, as a child - before the Tragedy, before he lost his sense of taste - his sense of smell had been nothing to speak of, perhaps even worse, than was typical for an Alpha. But ever since the Tragedy, his sense of smell had sharpened exponentially. It had taken some adjustment, and Dimitri had to remember to not react when emotions rode high or when he was in close proximity to others. He couldn’t imagine how Betas and Omegas dealt with smelling  _ so much  _ all the time _ . _ It didn’t help that his headaches and migraines were only exacerbated by overly strong smells. Dimitri had already had to think of several rather embarrassing and ridiculous excuses to escape some of his classmates’ whose scents had him gagging and the Alpha growling in warning. _

_ Luckily, none from his close circle had scents that bothered him or the Alpha, and surprisingly that included others from the other two Houses. Dimitri had actually been alarmed just  _ how _ well some of his classmates’ scents affected him and the Alpha inside. Of one classmate in particular. _

_ He tried to keep his reactions under control, but Dimitri discovered that Claude was not one for propriety. The Beta’s almost reckless attitude when it came to dealing with the different nuances in Class etiquette had left him flustered and speechless on several occasions much to Claude’s amusement. Thankfully, growing up with Sylvain meant Dimitri wasn’t a total blushing virgin, so Claude’s casual touches and less than proper dress was...manageable. _

_ To a degree. _

_ He only thanked the Goddess that Claude didn’t play favorites. The Golden Deer Leader lavished attention on everyone, whether that be gossiping with Hilda and Dorothea over the latest drama, holding debates with Ferdinand and Lorenz over  _ tea _ , playing chess with Sylvain and even  _ Hubert _ , or even taste testing Mercedes and Flayn’s latest attempts at cooking. Dimitri had even seen Claude draw Edelgard and Lysithea away with a couple of sweets. Such actions, the amiable and friendly manner he treated all of his classmates - even those Dimitri did not know by name - allowed Dimitri some semblance of control over the Alpha that seemed to take offense when the Beta so much as looked at someone else. Afterall, Claude always spared time for Dimitri as well, providing a smile or a laugh or even little tidbits on his current subject of interest. _

_ Dimitri only wondered when that wouldn’t be enough for the Alpha. _

_ Or himself. _

_ Dimitri felt heat rush to his face at the unbidden thought and abruptly pushed away from the table, visibly startling Claude who blinked up at him. _

_ “Uh, you okay there Dimitri?” _

_ “N-no, I mean,  _ yes _ ,” Dimitri felt like covering his face with both hands to hide how red it must be. He could feel his ears burning, “I-I think I’m more tired than I realized, I think I’ll retire for the night.” _

_ Dimitri willed the Alpha to  _ not _ react when Claude’s  _ _ beautiful _ _ green eyes turned concerned. _

_ “Alright, well,” The Beta winked playfully, at odds with the calming balm of chamomile and lavender that seemed to fill the room, “Sweet dreams your Princeliness. You’ll need to be well-rested for tomorrow.” _

_ Dimitri let out a laugh that sounded awkward even to his own ears and bid the other goodnight. He could feel Claude’s gaze on his shoulders like a warm blanket until he passed through the library’s doors. The Beta’s scent however, followed him all the way to his room and into his dreams. _

_ It was one of the first nights that Dimitri managed to sleep through the night, undisturbed and nightmare free. _

* * *

Dimitri recalled that night many times in the following days. They’d only been at the Academy for a few months now, and already the Leader of the Golden Deer was someone Dimitri considered dear.

_ Ha. ‘Dear’. _

“Oh-ho? What’s with that smile, Your Highness? Thinking of something, or perhaps, some _ one _ ?”

Dimitri blinked, said smile vanishing into a confused frown as he glanced over his shoulder at Sylvain. The redheaded Alpha was leaning towards him over the pommel of his saddle with a sly grin, “It  _ must _ be someone special to get a smile like  _ that _ out of you. Who is it? Anyone I know?”

“Leave him alone Sylvain,” Ingrid huffed from Dimitri’s other side, a stern glare aimed at their mutual friend, “His Highness isn’t like  _ you _ .”

“Didn’t say he was!” The Alpha retorted with an exaggerated pout, “Just thought I might be able to offer him some friendly advice! That’s all!”

“Any advice from you would be sure to end with His Highness getting slapped.” The blond Beta retorted with an exasperated air, “Besides, it’s none of our business if His Highness is...interested in someone.”

Now it was Sylvain’s turn to turn exasperated, “C’mon, lighten up Ingrid! Even  _ you _ looked like you were itching to ask!”

The Beta blushed, “I was  _ not _ !”

“Well you certainly  _ smelt  _ curious! Or at least interested! Like whenever someone mentions food.”

Ingrid jerked, twisting around in her saddle fully as she turned bright red with a scandalized, “ _ Sylvain! _ ”

The Alpha cackled, and Dimitri subtly steered his mount away from the disaster zone.

“C-c’mon now,” Ashe interjected hesitantly, eyeing Ingrid nervously when it looked like the Beta was going to use her lance to get her point across to the laughing Alpha, “Can’t we just take it as a good thing that His Highness smiled to begin with?”

Dimitri couldn’t help frowning further at that, “Is my smiling that...unusual?”

Ashe sputtered, the Beta’s hands flailing in alarm, “N-no! I-I j-just meant-!” 

“Of course not Your Highness!” Annette piped up from ahead, smiling brightly in turn from her seat in one of their caravan’s wagons, “It was just a, uh…” The Beta pursed her lips then hissed quickly to the Omega beside her, “Mercie, help me out here?”

Mercedes giggled behind a hand before turning to meet Dimitri’s confused gaze, “It was a  _ lovely _ smile Dimitri. Like you were thinking of something that you loved dearly.”

Dimitri felt heat pass over his cheeks, and glanced down at his hands, fiddling with his horse’s reins in distraction, “O-oh.”

A loud snort came from behind, and all eyes turned towards Felix, the Beta scowling back unrepentantly from where he rode at the back of their group, “Like the Boar could actually  _ love _ anything that purely.”

“Felix!” Ingrid hissed angrily.

Dimitri waved the blond Beta off, shaking his head with a silent sigh. Felix’s words were nothing new, and to a certain level, Dimitri didn’t think his friend was wrong. The Alpha’s presence in his head had become  _ much _ more  _ distinct _ over the years, like a fully sentient being of pure animal instinct, as conflicting as that sounded. That the Alpha had joined the cacophony alongside Glenn, his father and the other ghosts was just one more thing that he’d had to adjust to ever since the Tragedy. Unlike Dimitri’s ghosts though, which he could block out if he tried hard enough on his good days, the Alpha was more intrinsically tied to him and his actions, and Dimitri found it harder to quell the Alpha’s instincts.

Somedays, Dimitri couldn’t even tell who was in control; him, or the Alpha.

“Are you alright Your Highness?”

Dimitri glanced towards Dedue, the other man’s gaze steady with subtle concern. He tried to smile, but the action felt hollow as the Alpha in his head rumbled ominously. 

“Thank you Dedue, but I’m alright.”

Despite Dimitri’s personal feelings, the Alpha didn’t seem to know what to  _ think _ of his stalwart friend. The Duscurian on the other hand, seemed to take the Alpha’s influence on Dimitri in stride. His friend’s wordless support was priceless in Dimitri’s mind, though he wondered if Dedue’s unending patience and acceptance could truly be described so simply.

Afterall, Dedue was neither Alpha, Beta  _ or _ Omega. The blood of the Goddess did not run through his veins, and so he was Classless.  _ Soulless _ , if one believed some of Fodlan’s more  _ radical _ teachings. Which Dimitri did  _ not _ .

Dedue nodded with obvious reluctance, “If you say so Your Highness.”

A natural silence fell over the students then, the repetitive sound of hoofbeats and wagons rolling filling the air. Of course, Sylvain was the one to break it.

“So, does anyone  _ else _ think this is really weird?”

“What do you mean?” Annette quirked her head curiously.

Sylvain rolled a hand with a thoughtful expression, “ _ This _ . This whole situation with Lord Lonato.”

Dimitri glanced towards Ashe instinctively, the Beta’s gaze focused towards his clenched fists with a distraught expression. The Alpha in him growled at the sight, and he turned to Sylvain.

“I think I speak for all of us when we are all rather puzzled and disturbed over the situation, but until we are able to speak with the man himself, all we have are assumptions.”

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve never met Lord Lonato in person, but I’ve always heard good things about him,” Annette added, her own gaze lingering on their quiet classmate, “He must have a good reason for rebelling.”

“Does it matter?” Felix quipped harshly, “He’s going against the Church and dragging innocent civilians along in the process. Good reason or not, he still needs to be put down.”

“Felix!” Ingrid gasped.

“...I think I’ll go see how much further we have to go,” Ashe muttered, kicking his horse into a trot and moving up the caravan line.

Dimitri grimaced as he felt all the glares aimed in his friend’s direction. Felix snorted, “What? It’s not like you all don’t agree.”

“Doesn’t mean you had to say it like that man,” Sylvain sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

“And  _ you _ didn’t have to bring it up in the first place!” Ingrid growled, glaring harshly at both of her friends, “ _ Honestly! _ ”

She urged her horse ahead, obviously intent on following the other Beta. A quiet glance from Dimitri had Dedue following, and he hoped that the other man’s solid presence would help soothe Ashe a bit. As long as Ingrid could keep her own opinions about Dedue to herself, Dimitri trusted his two friends to help their classmate.

“Y’know, sometimes I wonder about you two,” Annette frowned unhappily, eyes shifting between the two instigators, “It’s almost like you  _ want _ to push everyone away.”

Mercedes hummed sadly while Felix rolled his eyes and Sylvain laughed, “Oh, I’d  _ never _ push away a lovely lady like you Annette! You too Mercedes!”

“Augh, gross.”

“Hey!”

Dimitri sighed, absently hoping that the rest of their assignment would go smoother.

* * *

It did  _ not  _ go smoother.

No sooner had their caravan reached Magred Way did a heavy and ominous amount of fog roll in. The Knights’ scouts’ report of an ambush was only icing on the cake. Dimitri tried to keep an eye on all of his classmates as they clashed with enemy soldiers and militia alike. He could hear the clashing of weapons, the cries of pain and victory, see the flashes of black magic and the occasional red glare of Catherine’s Thunderbrand in the distance. What had at first been a cautious march through the fog had turned into an all out brawl once the enemy mage had been taken down. Dimitri remembered staring into the lenses of the man’s ominous bird-like mask as he skewered the other on his lance, remembered the disgust roiling in his chest versus the Alpha’s roar of triumph in his head.

He wondered what sort of expression he had made to earn the look of absolute contempt from Felix, but did not dwell on it as more enemies fell upon them.

Dimitri rolled as an arrow sliced past his ear, charging into a low sprint to close the distance between him and the archer that was scrambling to draw another arrow. Dimitri was upon them within seconds. A quick twist of his wrist had the head of his lance slicing through the archer’s bow like water, another twist and the archer’s head fell from their shoulders. Dimitri barely spared a moment to mourn before he was moving on, cutting a path towards where he last saw Ashe. The Beta was obviously heading straight for his adoptive father and chances of Ashe reaching Lonato before Catherine and her Knights was slim even with Ingrid, Dedue and Professor Hanneman for backup.

Dimitri managed to catch Felix and Sylvain’s attention, the two working in tandem alongside Annette and Mercedes. The swordsman scowled as Sylvain saluted in understanding before Dimitri forged ahead on his own, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.

The Alpha’s continuous howls rang in his ears and Dimitri  _ smiled _ .

* * *

  
  
_ Dimitri couldn’t sleep. _

_ Another night of nightmares was nothing new, and the Alpha roiling beneath his skin itching to  _ tear _ and  _ kill _ and  _ rend apart _ ghosts of the past was becoming a disturbing norm. So Dimitri laid in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling of his room, hoping that the smell of burning flesh and smoke would fade, that the visions of blood and fire would disappear from his mind’s eye. _

_ They didn’t. _

_ The Alpha continued to  _ howl _. _

_ So with an exhausted sigh, Dimitri rolled out of bed, haphazardly threw on his uniform - he opted out from attaching his cape and armor after a long moment of debate - and quietly crept out of his room. It was the middle of the night, and experience told him dawn was still a ways off. No one sane was still up at this hour - Glenn’s snarky comment about Dimitri’s own sanity notwithstanding - so he was surprised to see a faint light beneath Claude’s door.  _

_ For a moment so brief that Dimitri was sure he imagined it - and wasn’t  _ that _ ironic - the Alpha and the voices were deathly  _ quiet _. _

_ He isn’t sure how long he lingered outside the Beta’s door, but when the Alpha’s howls turned into snarls and the voices started berating him, did Dimitri move to continue down the hall. He’d only managed a few steps before he heard a faint rustling behind him. _

_ “Your Princeliness?” _

_ Dimitri jumped, stifling a squeak as he spun on his heel, feeling like a child caught up past their bedtime.  _

_ Which, was actually somewhat accurate. _

_ The Golden Deer Leader squinted at him blearily from where he leaned heavily against his door frame, his dark hair mussed and a hand rising to cover a yawn, “Do you realize what time it is?” _

_ The Beta’s voice was whisper soft and his scent was an intoxicating blend of chamomile and vanilla. Dimitri drew in a deep breath before he realized it. _

_ “My apologies,” Dimitri whispered back, shifting nervously on his feet, “I-I didn’t mean to wake you.” _

_ Claude flapped a hand lazily, green eyes gaining more clarity as the seconds passed, “Nah, I was already awake. Makes me wonder though what has you up and about...and standing outside my door for several minutes.” The Beta straightened as he stepped a little further out of his room, propping a hand on his hip with a curious tilt of his head, “Did you need something?” _

_ The Alpha became unnaturally quiet as Dimitri sucked in a sharp breath of surprise. The sloping, open collar of the Beta’s shirt had not been noticeable before with Claude’s slouched posture, but now...  _

_ Something hot twisted in his gut at the sight of dark skin casually on display and he ruthlessly squashed the Alpha’s rumbling interest before he knew what he was doing. Dimitri hesitated, forcing his gaze to remain at eye level.  _

_ Honestly speaking, the two of them didn’t know each other well. It’d only been two weeks since they’d been introduced. Dimitri of course had heard of the Alliance’s mysterious heir appearing a year ago, but meeting someone you had only heard rumor and hearsay about was very different from meeting in person. His first impression of Claude von Riegan was... _ bright _. _

_ Not only in personality but in intellect too. _

_ The Alliance heir seemed to  _ shine _ amongst his classmates, the boy’s almost lackadaisical attitude in the face of his more proper - Noble - counterparts making him stand out even more than his dark skin did. His sharp way with words was a remarkable highlight, at odds with his friendly and laid back approach. Dimitri had done something of an internal double take when he witnessed Edelgard engage in a verbal spar with the other, the contrast between the Alpha’s cold, serious words and the Beta’s light hearted barbs a bit nerve wracking. _

_ The fact that the two seemed to  _ enjoy _ it was a bit troubling. Dimitri had never found such... _ debates _ \- as Claude had put it - pleasant, especially amongst those he considered friends. _

_... _ Did _ he consider them friends? _

_ His relationship with Edelgard was...complicated, and while he still counted the other Alpha amongst his loved ones, he couldn’t say if Edelgard felt the same about him in return. If it had been  _ Edelgard _ approaching him - or any of his childhood friends or fellow Lions - Dimitri would have waved them off, not wanting to burden them with his problems. The Alpha would have rejected the idea to begin with. _

_ Claude though… _

_ The Beta was still watching him, posture relaxed and open, scent subtly filling Dimitri’s lungs with every breath - chamomile, lavender, vanilla - and gaze endless with a patience Dimitri didn’t understand. The Alpha purred. _

_ Dimitri clenched his hands, “No. Apologies for disturbing your evening.” _

_ Claude hummed vaguely in acknowledgement, “If you say so your Princeliness. Try not to stay up too late, mock battle tomorrow and all.” He winked playfully, “Wouldn’t want anyone saying the Golden Deer won cause you weren’t at your best.” _

_ Dimitri huffed in surprised amusement, a smile appearing unbidden, “Of course. Good night Claude.” _

_ The Beta gave him a soft smile and a lofty salute, the action drawing Dimitri’s eyes towards the other’s neck as the open collar slipped further -  _

_ He jerked his eyes upwards, catching Claude’s eyes that sparked with confused curiosity before spinning on his heel and retreating to the training grounds. Bright smiles, dark skin and the smell of chamomile drowned out the Alpha and voices for the rest of the evening and into the morning. _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Omega:**   
>  20% of the population (15% female, 5% male)   
>  Omegas, unlike the other two Classes, lack any physical enhancements, however they’re blessed with superior pheromone control and a higher magical affinity. In some rare cases, they also have a strong affinity for another type of living creature (animals mostly). Legends speak of some Omegas being able to control entire armies with pheromones alone or summoning storms out of nowhere. However, such legends and rumors have caused a sort of stigma to be associated with them amongst the Nobles. With the Omega Female’s high fertility rate, and sensitivity to pheromones, Omega Female’s are often seen as weak, and only useful for producing more heirs and carrying on the bloodline. On the flip side, as they have higher magical aptitude they make for ideal healers or battle mages, and their naturally calming scent and pheromone control provide an advantage where subtlety and tact are needed. Omega Males suffer from a different sort of stigma, and while more pronounced amongst the Nobles, Commoners have more often taken on such views as well due to legends and hearsay. Perhaps due to their rarity, Omega Males are often clumped together with their female counterparts. However, unlike the females, Omega Males are much more similar to Alpha Females, in that they are practically sterile. All Omegas produce a higher quantity of pheromones, are more susceptible to others’, and are at their peak fertility/virility during their cycles. Omega Females experience their cycle quarterly, which can last anywhere from a few days to a week, or in rare cases, several weeks at a time. Omega Males go through a biannual cycle that can last anywhere from a few days to a week, or in rare cases, anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. Perhaps because Omega Males lack certain organs, their cycles are much harsher on their bodies and they experience intense pain. Some believe it’s the Omega attempting to physically change their body to female. Out of all of the Classes, Omegas are the most sensitive to pheromones, and though Omegas have no defining scent like the other two, their scent has a ‘calming’ effect.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The self-indulgence continues~
> 
> Also, thank you to everyone who took the time to read, comment and/or leave kudos!!!!! Y'ALL'RE AWESOME!!!!! AND I SEE YOU!!
> 
> There's also apparently a DMCL Birthday week thing going on? Let's just say this is my unofficial contribution (I think this would technically fit one of the prompts, but it's later in the week, so oh well)
> 
> Stay safe y'all.
> 
> Cheers.

* * *

Two weeks.

It had taken the Blue Lions two weeks to complete their mission and return to the halls of Garreg Mach, the sun still below the horizon and the air cool with dew. Dimitri had mostly spent the journey back to the monastery in silence, his head filled to the brim with his own dark thoughts, the Alpha’s screams and his ghosts’ whispers. The rest of his classmates had been in somewhat similar states, Ashe noticeably subdued in the aftermath of his adoptive father’s death. Bless their kind souls, Mercedes and Annette had kept the grieving Beta company, the air around the trio constantly smelling of rain, sandalwood and roses. Dedue and Ingrid flitted on the edges, though Ingrid spent most of her time keeping an eye on Sylvain and Felix and Dedue kept a silent vigil beside Dimitri more times than not.

Dimitri could feel the Alpha’s presence grow more agitated and restless inside his head the longer he spent among his friends, his sense of helplessness and inability to _do_ anything to help fraying at what little self-control he had left.

So it was with some guilty relief that he watched his classmates disperse once they passed the gates, all of them seeking time alone to recuperate in their own ways. It was perhaps a testament to just _how_ badly they were all affected that it only took ten minutes to convince Dedue to take some time for himself - _yes_ , Dimitri would be fine on his own for a while - and that Dimitri just needed a moment alone to process everything. So after watching Dedue’s retreating form disappear into the greenhouse, Dimitri stood for a moment, unsure.

Professor Hanneman had given their class the day off to recuperate from their mission, and he debated for a moment on retiring to his room to sleep. But the Alpha was too _loud_ , too _present_ for such a thing to be possible despite how tired he was. Briefly, Dimitri’s thoughts drifted towards the training grounds, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Felix had been sullen and _angry_ , his scent sharp like an oncoming thunderstorm primed for destruction and had most assuredly headed straight there to relieve stress. Unfortunately places like the library or the dining hall were out of the question too, as Dimitri needed _space_ and both were far from ideal. There were few places within the monastery that were not occupied by _someone_. So, naturally, Dimitri headed back outside, towards the woods, away from everyone.

* * *

It was quiet.

Dimitri sucked in a large breath of cool air, holding it for a long moment before letting it out in a controlled exhale. The forest was quiet, the faint morning calls of birds and other woodland creatures filtering into a calming buzz in the back of his mind as wind filtered through the trees. It helped, just a little. He let out a long, weary sigh, idly spinning the lance he’d grabbed on his way out before settling into a relaxed stance. Then, after a moment, Dimitri began going through mindless drills. With the amount of training he’d done and from such a young age, it was perhaps understandable that Dimitri was the most at peace with a weapon in his hand.

He knew Felix felt the same, and though Sylvain and Ingrid were different in mindset, Dimitri had a feeling they too felt most at ease when wielding a weapon. He’d never really thought about it, till joining the Academy. Not till it became blatantly obvious that those from the Blue Lions were the ones who spent the most time on the training grounds, bar a few other battle oriented students. He wasn’t sure what that said about Fhaergus.

Dimitri remembered the odd looks he’d received from a few students from the other Houses when the fact he’d learned how to wield a lance before learning how to read or write became known. Felix, he knew, relished in seeing others reactions to this, in his own understated and brusque way. The Beta was _proud_ of it.

Dimitri though…

“Oh.”

Dimitri jolted, his foot sliding further than intended on the wet grass as he stumbled between mid-lunge and spinning around. In the end, he barely caught himself from tumbling to the ground by slamming the end of his lance down, ending in a weird half-lunge half-split with both hands grasping his lance tightly to stay upright. Dimitri’s surprised he hadn’t broken the thing.

Silence.

Dimitri felt his face flush all the way up to his ears as clear laughter broke the calm of the forest, and he turned to face the intruder properly after struggling to his feet. Claude was practically doubled over, arms wrapped around his waist as he leaned against a tree for balance. It didn’t seem to be working though as the Beta slowly slid further and further to the ground with each passing second as he continued to laugh.

“O-Oh, Gods,” Claude gasped, cheeks pink with mirth, “D-Dimitri, I-I am, _so_ sorry, didn’t mean to startle you like that.”

Dimitri cleared his throat, brushing his bangs away nervously, “I-It’s alright, no harm done.”

Claude, a few chuckles still escaping him, pushed himself upright and moved towards Dimitri, “Still, sorry about that. I wasn’t expecting anyone else out here this early.”

Dimitri drew in a deep breath as the Beta’s scent reached him, feeling a tension in his shoulders he hadn’t noticed disappear in the wake of chamomile and lavender. However, he frowned as he got a better look at the other.

“Claude, are you alright?”

“Hm? Oh, this?” The Beta absently brushed a hand over the stark white bandages circling his throat, his usual manner of dress leaving them easily seen, “Yeah, just a precaution really.”

The Alpha _growled_ , and Dimitri almost jolted at the sensation, the stark silence of the Alpha when Claude was around making its actions all the more startling. However, Dimitri found himself in agreement this time, and found himself reaching out before he could think better of it. Claude’s eyes widened in surprise, one foot shifting backwards as Dimitri’s fingers skimmed the Beta’s neck. 

The air smelled sharply of oranges and cloves.

Dimitri forced himself back, hands clenching into fists as he held Claude’s guarded gaze and willing himself to calm down.

“What happened?”

It was practically a growl, with how low and deep the words came out. Claude for his part, stared at him with a frown, brows furrowed and a thoughtful look in his eyes.

“...Oh y’know,” The Beta flapped a hand dismissively, and Dimitri scowled at the other’s flippant tone, “Bandit got a _bit_ too close for comfort. But don’t worry, guy’s dead, Cap made sure of that.”

The Alpha in him _snarled_ defiantly at the idea that _anyone_ had gotten _that close_ to begin with, and Dimitri opened his mouth to voice his own opinion on the matter when Claude gave him a _look_. The Alpha sunk down with an unhappy whine, and Dimitri only had a moment to blink at _that_ imagery before Claude stole his attention.

“Relax Your Princeliness, the matter’s been done and dealt with for a while now. These are just Manuela and Teach being overly cautious.” The Beta touched the bandages around his throat.

 _Teach_?

Before Dimitri could voice his question though, Claude continued.

“I’ll admit, it was a bit touch and go for a second. Turns out vocal chords, windpipes and all those other fun things require a bit more _finesse_ \- though even _I_ coulda told ya _that_ \- and several healing sessions to boot.” Claude winked, “You guys picked a prime time to come back though. A day earlier and you woulda heard me sounding like a frog and gasping like a fish. Though I’m _sure_ you’ll hear _plenty_ of stories from the others. They had quite a laugh at my expense.” He shook his head in apparent despair, “Even _Edelgard_ poked fun at me!”

Dimitri wasn’t entirely sure he understood all of what the Beta was talking about - vocal chords and the like - but he ended up coughing as he tried - and failed - to hide his smile behind his hand. Claude watched him with an amused grin.

“Yeah yeah, laugh it up Your Princeliness.”

“A-apologies Claude,” Dimitri finally let a chuckle escape as warm cinnamon and sugar filled his nose, “But I can’t even imagine that, let alone Edelgard... _poking_ fun.”

“Oh don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll hear _plenty_ of impressions of me if you ask,” Claude laughed brightly before ending with a small smile, “...that’s better.”

“Hm?”

“You were all - “ Dimitri sputtered out a laugh as Claude scrunched his face into a comically serious expression, “- before, and now, not so much.”

Dimitri hummed in acknowledgement, hand rising to grip the back of his neck, “Our mission was...unfortunately successful.”

“Lord Lonato, right?” Claude’s lips twisted downwards, “Pass on my condolences to Ashe, will you?”

“Of course, though I’m sure he’d appreciate it coming from you in person.”

“I don’t know about that,” The Beta laughed quietly, scratching at his cheek self-consciously, “I think I make him nervous for some reason.”

Dimitri blinked, “Whatever for?”

“Beats me,” Claude shrugged, “I’d say it’s my noble status, but that can’t be right considering he deals with you on a regular basis and you’re _royalty_.”

“Ashe _can_ be a bit particular when it comes to social status, yes.” Dimitri crossed his arms in thought, “Any particular reason why you think you make him nervous though?”

“Oh, y’know,” Claude glanced up towards the sky in exaggerated thought, “The fact that he seems to turn into a nervous wreck whenever I’m in the same room as him? Or that he won’t look me in the eye? Or that he _runs away_ every time I try to approach him?” The Beta turned his gaze back down with an absolutely ridiculous expression of confusion, “I don’t know, what do you think?”

“ _Claude_.”

The Beta snickers, “Sorry, you asked though. Honestly, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think he had a crush, but I _know_ for a fact it’s not me.” Claude hums thoughtfully, “Can’t say he’s got bad taste though, if tall, dark and quiet is your sorta thing.”

Dimitri frowned, the very _idea_ of someone having a _crush_ on Claude causing his insides to twist and the Alpha to start... _pacing_. The idea of _Claude_ finding someone _else_ appealing - 

Dimitri and Claude _both_ jump at the sharp _crack_ that splits the air, their gazes shooting towards the ground as the top half of Dimitri’s lance falls to the ground with a pitiful _whump_. 

Silence.

Claude’s lips press into a thin line, his amusement evident by the spark in his eyes and the sweet smell of caramel. Dimitri can’t help covering his eyes with a hand in despair. 

“Please don’t.”

“B-But I didn’t _do_ a-anything!” The Beta’s voice wavered with laughter, a fist pressing against his lips even as his eyes practically glowed, “Y-you can’t tell me _not_ to do s-something if I haven’t done anything!”

“Oh Goddess,” Dimitri dropped the other half of his lance to cover his face with both hands, “Just, _stop_.”

Except, this was a mistake on Dimitri’s part as it prevented him from seeing the Beta move. Dimitri jumped as warm, nimble fingers grabbed his wrists, gently tugging his hands down and leaving him unprepared to deal with the Beta’s smiling face _so very close_ that he could almost count every eyelash. Claude’s eyes were _stunning_ up close. 

_Claude_ was _mesmerizing._

Dimitri felt his brain and heart trip over themselves as he tried to comprehend what was happening. The Alpha of course, decided to add in its own two gold by _purring_.

Loudly. 

_Smugly_.

_Goddess, help me._

Dimitri _firmly_ locked the Alpha down, focusing on his current...situation. He was not accustomed to physical contact outside of training or battle. His classmates tended to give him a wide berth, and though he had witnessed - and experienced - Claude’s breach of personal space on a few rare occasions, it still left him feeling off-balanced.

But, it wasn’t necessarily a _bad_ feeling.

“Uh, Claude?”

Claude snickered, hands still loosely wrapped around Dimitri’s wrists, and apparently oblivious to the effect he had on the blond and Alpha both, “Sorry Your Princeliness, I don’t mean anything by it, you just make it too easy sometimes!”

Dimitri huffed, turning his eyes away in embarrassment but not moving to shake free from the Beta’s absent hold. Perhaps it was because he felt so...comfortable, that Dimitri’s tight hold on the Alpha slipped and the following events occurred.

The Alpha twisted his hands gently, reversing Claude’s hold so that the Alpha was now the one holding the other’s wrists. Claude’s brows rose at the action, but before the Beta could speak, the Alpha pulled the other in, hands sliding around the other’s waist and gripping at the back of the other’s uniform in a tight embrace.

Claude squeaked, scent sharpening in response, “H-hey!?”

The Beta’s protest barely registered in the Alpha’s mind and he sighed, unconsciously releasing a command for the other to _submit_ before pressing his face into the crook of Claude’s neck and _breathed._ At this distance, the other’s scent practically _flooded_ the Alpha’s senses, and he didn’t want it to end. But…

The Alpha drew in another breath, nosing past the other’s open collar, trying to reach skin. There was...a _cloying_ smell - a _taint_ \- of some kind interlaced with the Other’s scent that had not been there before and the Alpha _did not like it_.

The Other squirmed, scent spiking further, “D-Dimitri, hey!”

The Alpha let out a rumble in warning, arms tightening around the Other and strengthening the command for the other to _submit_. The Other sucked in a sharp breath with a hiss, before -

Dimitri _yelped_ as something _flicked_ his ear _sharply_ and stumbled back with a hand covering the smarting flesh, blinking dazedly, “W-what?”

“That’s what _I’d_ like to know.”

Dimitri blinked rapidly, gaze finally focusing on Claude who - 

Who was several feet away and eyeing him warily, scent abnormally subdued to the point Dimitri actually _couldn’t_ smell the other. Something about that caused his heart to stutter, “C-claude, w-what happened?”

Claude cocked a brow, “...You don’t remember?”

Dimitri frowned in serious thought, only to find his mind drawing a blank. He swallowed, clenching a hand into a fist nervously, “No, I don’t.” 

The Beta hummed, a vague note of _something_ present, and Dimitri found his heart sinking with dread, “Claude, I _swear_ , I-”

“No no, it’s ok, I can tell you’re telling the truth,” Claude replied absently, his green eyes taking on a distant, thoughtful look as he cupped his chin, gaze going _through_ Dimitri rather than settling on him, “Which, huh...”

Dimitri breathed out a sigh of heartfelt relief, though it didn’t remain for long as his own thoughts turned inward.

 _Had he...Had the_ Alpha _taken over?_

It had happened before, once.

_After the Tragedy. On the battlefield._

_It was the reason Felix called him_ boar _._

 _It was why he was a_ monster _._

Dimitri sucked in a sharp breath, eyes snapping up towards Claude, “I didn’t _hurt_ you, did I?”

Claude blinked, seeming to snap back into the present and glanced at him blankly, “No?”

“Are you _sure_ ?” Dimitri made to take a step forward but stopped when he saw the other shift back just the slightest bit. The action caused Dimitri’s heart to _ache,_ “ _Claude_ , I’m _so_ \- ”

“Whoa, whoa, _easy_ there Your Princeliness,” Claude made a shushing motion with his hands, just the barest whiff of chamomile reaching Dimitri’s nose, “I’m _fine_ , you just...took me by surprise, is all.” The Beta tilted his head, “You _really_ don’t remember.”

It wasn’t a question.

 _No._ Dimitri flexed his hands, feeling helpless. _I don’t._

_And that was a problem._

* * *

Claude pursed his lips, the strange sense of _unease_ hanging in the air still leaving him a little jumpy. Dimitri, the poor guy, looked _devastated_. Claude didn’t really _understand_ what had happened, but he could tell that _whatever_ it was, it wasn’t something the Alpha had been conscious of.

Or atleast, _Dimitri_ , hadn’t been conscious of it.

And wasn’t _that_ interesting? 

He’d heard his classmates on several occasions refer to their Class as if it was _sentient_ , like a _different_ part of themselves that lived and breathed inside their head. Judging by how everyone didn’t even bat an eye at that sort of phrasing told Claude that _that_ was _normal_ . At first, he thought it was something shared by Alphas and Omegas only, such conversations common enough between the two, but when even Betas such as Ignatz or Leonie made off hand comments like _“The Beta was feeling off”_ or _“The Beta didn’t like it”_ made Claude rethink things. 

Which made Claude wonder, not for the first, and most likely not for the last time:

_Is something wrong with me?_

But, now was not the time for a philosophical existential crisis, he had a very unhappy and _distressed_ friend - _maybe more_ \- in front of him to deal with. With a silent sigh Claude ran a hand through his hair, letting his scent slowly fill the air once more, making an effort to send out _calm_ and _peace_ despite not entirely feeling it himself.

“Next time you want a hug, all you gotta do is ask, ok?”

Claude grinned at the other’s absolutely _shocked_ expression as blue eyes snapped towards him, scent spiking like a bowl of fruit punch.

“W-what?”

Claude shrugged, rocking back on his heels before casually closing the distance, “I said, I don’t mind hugs.” He made sure Dimitri’s gaze met his as he spoke clearly, “Just give me a little warning before we start hugging it out, yeah?”

He chuckled as Dimitri’s scent and face turned cherry red, the blond nodding in obvious embarrassment, “Good, now - ”

Before Claude could finish though the monastery bells rang, officially announcing the start of another day.

“Ah, shit,” Claude hissed, throwing an apologetic glance towards Dimitri, “Sorry, gotta run.” 

Dimitri smiled shakily, bending down to scoop up the pieces of his lance, “I’ll walk with you, if that’s alright?”

“Of course.” Claude’s eyes flicked down towards Dimitri’s hands with a smirk, “I guess you can’t really train anymore anyway, huh?”

“You’d be surprised,” Dimitri replied as he started walking alongside Claude back towards the monastery, “After breaking so many lances, my instructors started teaching me how to use a sword and dual wielding. Said that if I was going to end up breaking them in half, I should learn how to defend myself with the broken parts. It’s actually a very interesting technique!”

“Wait, _seriously_?”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lot's of fluff~ A dash of angst~ A drop of intrigue~ stir the pot and you get this mish mash of something. hehehehehehehehe~
> 
> But on a more serious note, DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE DAMN 'SPACES' STOP APPEARING WHEN MOVING FROM GOOGLE DOCS TO AO3 WHEN IT COMES TO ITALICS? I SWEAR, I spend more time trying to GET RID OF THOSE than actual WRITING. And then they SHOW UP ANYWAY in the final post. *FACEPALMS*
> 
> Well, whatever. At the rate I'm posting these past couple weeks, there's probably gonna be another dead spell of several months. Sorry about that. I'll do my best not to let that happen. *salutes*
> 
> In any case, thank you all who took the time to read, comment and/or leave kudos!!!! I APPRECIATE THEM VERY MUCH!!! Y'ALL THE BEST!!!!! *BOWS*


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all of you who read, commented and/or left kudos, thank you all SO SO SO MUCH!!!! You all are INSPIRING! *BOWS*
> 
> Another chap of self-indulgence of a DIFFERENT sort. :) Although let's face it, this entire STORY is self-indulgence on my part. :P
> 
> Anyway, again, many thanks!
> 
> Stay safe y'all!

* * *

It was perhaps, only a week later, that things took another turn.

Claude pursed his lips with a thoughtful frown, chin braced on the back of his hand as Jeralt brought the Golden Deer up to speed. The old Alpha had taken to being a Professor rather well, all things considered. Sure, there were still a few bumps here and there, but Claude and the rest of the Deer nudged the man in the right direction when he got turned around. Honestly speaking, Claude felt he’d learnt more in the past few weeks under the Blade Breaker’s rough tutelage than he had in the few months he’d been attending the Academy prior to the man’s appearance. Problem was, the Alpha _obviously_ had never _taught_ in an official, classroom capacity.

It was _hilarious_.

The man had been a mercenary for _decades_ , was known as the _strongest_ knight in the land and was Captain of the Knights of Serios for _years_ , and yet, the Alpha didn’t seem to know how to handle _teenagers_ , let alone grade papers or give lectures. It was a wonder _Alois_ managed to survive.

Claude shifted his hand to cover his amusement when the Alpha awkwardly cleared his throat, a nervous tick the man had apparently picked up in the past couple weeks when addressing the class. It was rather endearing, truth be told, and it was made all the more sweeter when mixed with the Alpha’s honeyed fruit scent of nervous sincerity. The fact that the action and subtle call for attention quieted the class quicker than an arrow could fly spoke volumes.

“I know you all have probably heard by now, but the Blue Lions will be going out to take care of some bandits up in Kingdom territory in a couple days.” Jeralt started, hands propped on his hips and a scowl on his scarred face, “There also seems to have been some other rumors floating about so let me make things _perfectly_ clear. Yes, it seems to be related to House Gautier. _Yes_ , a Hero’s Relic appears to be involved. _Yes_ , that’s why they’re going and _NO_ , we will _not_ be joining them.”

Claude openly laughed as the Alpha pinched the bridge of his nose as the rest of the class erupted into a loud mixture of confused disappointment and guilty relief. When it became obvious his classmates weren’t going to settle down any time soon, and the poor Alpha looked at his wits end, Claude let out a high pitched whistle that shattered the cacophony and left dead silence in its wake.

Jeralt glowered at him, one hand covering an ear, “ _Thank you_ , Claude.”

“No prob, Cap!”

The Alpha rolled his eyes with a put upon sigh before continuing, “As disappointing as it may be to you all, the reason why we’re staying is because we have a mission of our own. Turns out, during their last mission, the Blue Lion’s came across the plans for an assasination attempt on the Archbishop.”

Jeralt noticeably paused, eyeing the class suspiciously when they remained quiet in the wake of his announcement before continuing, “Our task is to guard the Monastery from any suspicious characters or would be assassins. The information we received was vague at best, only hinting at an attempt sometime in the near future and since the source is unreliable we’re playing it safe. The Knights are working on getting something more concrete to work off of, but in the meantime, we’re on guard duty until further notice.”

Claude raised his hand, “Hey Teach.”

“What?”

“I assume the Black Eagles have been assigned the same mission?”

“Yeah.”

Claude hummed, “Will there be a rotation, or assigned shifts?”

“The Knights on duty will handle the day-to-day and night shifts as usual,” Jeralt clarified, settling back against the podium, “However, they have their own missions and assignments that cause a break in their normal duties. During those times, the Golden Deer and Black Eagles will take over.” The Alpha jabbed a finger at them, “This does _not_ however, mean you kids are allowed to miss class or fail assignments. Class will still be in session during all of this, and I expect you all to be here.”

Claude smirked as several students - _Hilda_ in particular - let out heartfelt groans to which Jeralt laughed, “Hey, if I have to suffer with pulling double duty, you can be damn sure I’m taking you all with me. But enough with that.”

Claude pulled out his notes as the Alpha turned to the blackboard, rough hands already sketching out a diagram.

“Yesterday, we were going over…”

* * *

The Monastery greenhouse was well-known for its variety and rarity of flora, and to be fair, drew in much interest for those looking for some peace and quiet. Edelgard had never seen the appeal personally, though she could understand the theory behind it. Regardless - even if she couldn’t quite appreciate the greenhouse - finding a rare moment of peace with pleasant company and a pot of tea in the more common areas surrounded by bushes and other greenery suited her just fine. 

“Ironic, isn’t it?”

Edelgard sighed into her tea, taking a moment to breath in the warm fragrance of her family’s brew, “What is, Hubert?”

The Beta laced his hands together around his own cup, his thin lips curling at the corners, “Our assignment.”

She huffed, amused despite her, “Shush Hubert.”

Her retainer smirked, scent turning noticeably floral with subtle pleasure before taking on a sharp bitter tang of suspicion. The sudden change caused Edelgard to pause, the Alpha stirring alive with a hiss before the reason appeared abruptly at her shoulder.

“Well, well, fancy seeing you two here.”

“Claude,” Edelgard set her cup down with nary a clink of glass as she turned to face her fellow House Leader.

The Beta grinned down at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners and alight with interest, “Hey Princess. Hubie.”

From the corner of her eye, Edelgard could see Hubert’s scowl become deeper, his scent turning darker with the smell of a coming storm. She could hear the Alpha whine uneasily in her head at having one of _hers_ upset, “Claude, don’t antagonize my retainer.”

“Of course, anything for her royal highness,” The Golden Deer leader replied airly, sketching out a quick bow before popping right back up, completely unrepentant. “But honestly Hubert, you just make it too easy.”

“And I suppose you would like a _challenge_ , is that right?” Hubert scoffed with distaste, “If you want entertainment, I suggest you look elsewhere.”

“Aw, don’t be like that Hubie,” Claude pressed a hand dramatically to his chest, “Who else am I supposed to have a battle of wits with around here?”

“If it’s a _battle_ you’re looking for,” Hubert started, the sparks of dark flame snapping from his fingertips, “I’m sure that could be arranged.”

“Wow, have you been taking pointers from Lysithea? Cause that was down right - ”

Edelgard sighed, _loudly_ , “ _Boys_ , please.”

It was a moot point considering who she was speaking to, but Edelgard laced the words with the silent command of an Alpha regardless. Betas may be immune, but that didn’t make the effect of a command any less intimidating to the willfully weak. Not to say either Claude or Hubert _were_ but it got Edelgard’s point across. Hubert immediately settled down, offering a heartfelt, if somewhat reluctant apology.

Claude…

It had been so quick and subtle, Edelgard wasn’t sure if she had imagined it or not, but...had Claude _flinched_? Between one blink and the next though, it was as if nothing of the sort had happened, and Claude was as animated as ever, shaking his head with a despairing sigh, “Alright, sorry sorry, didn’t mean to pull your retainer’s coattails Princess. I _did_ actually have a reason for stopping by, coattails aside.”

“I take it, it's about our assignment.”

“Bingo.”

“I don’t see what there is to discuss,” Edelgard stated honestly with a frown, crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat, “The Knights already said that they have little more than the idea of an assassination attempt, let alone a date or anything remotely useful.”

“Ah but see, _that’s_ what makes this all so _interesting_ ,” Claude tsked playfully.

Edelgard glanced at Hubert, who _actually_ looked interested in what the other Beta was saying, and so sighed, “I’m not sure I follow.”

“If you thought about it for a little longer, I’m sure you’d see what I see,” Claude replied with a cryptic smile, even throwing a wink at Hubert, “I’m sure your shadow here understands what I’m hinting at. Which on that note, I think I’ve overstayed my welcome.”

Edelgard sucked in a sharp breath of surprise when the Beta suddenly leaned into her space, reaching across her to snag a few of the pastries they’d brought out. The Alpha in her rumbled with dangerous interest as the smell of lavender and vanilla filled her senses, and her fingers twitched to _reach out_ -

Claude straightened and pulled away with his sugary loot in hand, popping a biscuit into his mouth as he turned and walked away with a wave over his shoulder, “Later Princess! Later Hubie!”

Hubert scowled at the Beta’s retreating form before giving her an odd look, thin brow raised, “Lady Edelgard?”

Edelgard shook her head, ignoring how the Alpha rumbled and purred inside as the other House leader’s scent lingered like a heady perfume, “I’m fine. But tell me, what _was_ he going on about?”

* * *

Tracking down Dimitri was turning out to be a lot harder than Claude expected. The Blue Lions were leaving tomorrow at first light, and he hadn’t managed to pin the other down since they heard about their assignment. It was partially Claude’s fault, caught up in his own studies and the like. He hadn’t heard anything from Edelgard or Hubert since crashing their little tea party a couple days prior - he could be patient when he wanted to be - but Claude _wanted_ to speak to Dimitri before the other left. Classes had ended for the day, and most students were now doing their own thing until the dinner bell rang. A peek into the training grounds showed no sign of the blonde, despite Dimitri’s scent flitting on a breeze. A quick question to Felix, the only other student currently present, received a terse answer, and revealed that Claude had missed the prince by several minutes.

A gander towards the greenhouse led him to Dedue and Ashe, the two shaking their heads and once more revealing that Claude was a step behind. Dimitri’s scent though was much stronger then the training grounds and so Claude skipped out with a wave - and a lighthearted tease about interrupting the pair’s date, to the freckled boy’s flustered embarrassment - and hurried on his way. It was as he was in the middle of having a stilted chat with the Gatekeeper that Claude found himself on the opposing end of someone else’s search.

“Claude von Riegan.”

Claude glanced over his shoulder in mild surprise, “Hubert, why, will wonders never cease? What can I do for you?” Despite himself, Claude found his gaze eagerly falling on the game board subtly tucked under the retainer’s arm, “Here for that battle of wits perhaps?”

The Beta’s face remained stony, so at odds with the light floral scent that told Claude he was actually pleased, “In a manner of speaking. Lady Edelgard would graciously like to extend you an invitation to tea.”

“Is that so?” Claude hummed in interest, ignoring how the poor Gatekeeper not so subtly tried to move away from them without actually leaving his post, “I suppose it’d be pretty rude to refuse an invitation from her Royal Highness -”

“In that case -”

“- _however_ ,” Claude grinned, enjoying how the Beta’s face twisted into a scowl, “I’m in the middle of something. If she doesn’t mind waiting, I’d _love_ to have tea with her. If not, perhaps another time.”

Hubert smelt down right murderous, even as he chuckled darkly, “I shall inform her of the delay. We will be awaiting your arrival on the veranda.”

“Thanks,” Claude watched as the Beta moved past him and into the entrance hall, the smell of citrus and storms trailing after.

Once he was sure Hubert was long gone, Claude turned back to the nervous smelling Gatekeeper, “Sorry about that, you were saying?”

It took another few precious minutes before Claude was heading out the gates, a gut feeling leading him back to a certain clearing in the woods. Remembering their last encounter here, he made a point to make as much noise as possible as he stepped past bushes and trees but found it a wasted effort. 

The clearing was empty. Claude sighed, running a hand through his hair. At least he knew he was on the right track, Dimitri’s scent present albeit fading fast in the wind. Unbidden, Claude smiled, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

_Frankincense, sandalwood, with a hint of petrichor and a sharp undertone of lightning._

Not a bad scent, if Claude wanted to be particular. Reminded him a bit of home actually. Pushing that thought aside Claude headed back to the monastery.

He’d try to track down Dimitri again at dinner, but now, he had a tea party to get to.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been TRYING to keep the updates regular, but I'm fast approaching the end of my stockpiled chaps, so updates will most likely slow down. Regardless, thank you all for your time! Many many thanks!! *BOWS*


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to everyone who took the time to read, comment and/or leave kudos!!!!!! I appreciate them ALL, AND I SEE YOU!!!
> 
> Anyway, anyone else tired? I'm tired.
> 
> Now, yeet.

* * *

By the time Claude finally appeared, Edelgard and Hubert had managed to drink half a pot of tea and were in the final stages of their chess match. She didn’t spend a lot of time on such frivolous past times, but when the mood took her - and she could be convinced to relax - Edelgard _did_ enjoy a good game. Not many people knew that, Hubert being the only one. The gentle scent of chamomile and lavender reached her nose and she glanced over Hubert’s shoulder expectantly. Claude raised a hand cheerily in greeting as he approached before his eyes lit up with interest.

“Oh-ho, don’t tell me you’ve been holding out on me Princess,” the Beta drawled, sildling up next to their table and taking the only seat left, “Mind if I call winner?”

Edelgard pursed her lips in thought, attention returning to her next move while Hubert watched her with a patient smirk, “Perhaps. However, I didn’t invite you for a chess match.”

She placed her bishop decisively with a sharp _click_ , raising a challenging brow at her retainer before turning towards her fellow House Leader. The veranda was empty except for their little group, most of the monastery inhabitants retiring to the dining hall in preparation for dinner or focused elsewhere. She trusted Hubert to alert her of any unwelcome parties. There were perhaps better - more practical - locations for a private discussion but at the same time, Edelgard didn’t want to draw undue attention. Taking tea with _Claude_ of all people would raise some brows, but nothing truly worrisome. Asking the Beta to her _room_ was an entirely different matter. 

Claude hummed, crossing one leg over the other and leaning forward in interest, green eyes flitting across the board, “If not to finally reveal your hidden love of board games, then what _did_ you invite me for?”

Edelgard scowled, “Do not play coy with me Claude von Riegan. You were the one who approached us first, remember?”

“Oooooh, full names again, huh?” Claude reached out and casually slid Hubert’s rook a few squares, earning a hard glare from her retainer, but little else, “To be honest, I didn’t actually expect you to invite me to tea. Check, by the way.”

Edelgard scowled, both at Claude and the board in front of her, “And yet here we are.”

She watched as Claude leaned back in his chair, arms crossed loosely across his chest, “And _here_ we are. So?”

Edelgard sighed, turning to focus on the Beta fully in lieu of their commandeered game, “You’re earlier comments about our assignment. You believe it’s meant to be a distraction, correct?”

Though she didn’t really _have_ to guess about it. The most recent uprising of the Faerghus nobility was all her Uncle’s handiwork. The fact they planted a letter on said noble was something Edelgard could see her Uncle doing for the _fun_ of it. She _abhorred_ the man, especially after everything, but his sheer _arrogance_ was galling. It was like he _wanted_ his own plans to fail. The fact that he would be completely unaffected just made her chest _burn_ with absolute fury. This whole fiasco with the Western Church was just another one of her Uncle’s _games_ , and Edelgard did _not_ appreciate being caught in the middle of it.

Of course, she couldn’t _voice_ any of this. She _needed_ her Uncle, if her plan was to work. Which made her all the more _impatient_ to see it to fruition so she could _deal_ with him. 

Once and for all.

However…

Claude was looking at her in a way that made her hackles raise. In fact, _everything_ about the Golden Deer Leader set her on edge, the Alpha included.

 _Especially_ the Alpha.

Claude smiled, scent turning apple-sweet, “Knew you’d catch on Princess. Thing is, just _what_ are they trying to distract us _from_?” He sighed deeply, “I took a walk around, and honestly? There are _too_ many possibilities, at least, not until we get something more to work with.”

Edelgard refused to freeze when those all-too-sharp eyes glanced towards her, “Except, when I thought about it a little longer, you know what I found to be interesting?”

She traded a look with Hubert, who was staring at the other Beta with a deep frown, “I’m sure you’ll tell us whether we want to hear it or not.”

Claude snorted, caramel apple humor peaking through, “Come now Princess, don’t make me do all the work here!”

“Just what is it _you’re_ after Riegan?” Hubert interjected, deathly calm, “Just what do _you_ gain from all this... _scheming_?”

“ _Whoa_ now, who said anything about a _scheme_?” Claude’s eyes sparkled with innocence, scent candy sweet, “I’m just trying to have a meeting of the minds here! You can’t tell me you two don’t get... _bored_ sometimes?” His gaze flicked down to the chess board in front of them, “I mean, don’t get me wrong, chess is _great_ , but sometimes you need a little something _else_.”

Edelgard gave the other an unimpressed look, “This is certainly _something else_. Why not turn your talents to something _actually_ worthwhile instead of theoretical _conspiracies_.”

“Alright alright, my apologies for wasting your time on theoretical conspiracies,” Claude raised his hands in a peaceful gesture as he rose from his seat, “Thanks for the invite Princess. We should do this again sometime. Maybe play a match or two.”

Before she could respond, Claude leaned forward, shifting one of her pawns, “And _that’s_ checkmate.”

Hubert sat forward immediately, assessing the board for himself. Edelgard however found her eyes transfixed by Claude’s subtle smile as he left, the scent of vanilla and chamomile tickling her senses.

The Alpha purred.

She waited till she was absolutely sure that Claude was gone - his scent no longer a distraction - before turning to her retainer.

“Hubert.”

“Yes, My Lady?”

“I need you to investigate something for me.”

* * *

Claude couldn’t say he was _surprised_ by Edelgard’s dismissal of him, but he hadn’t honestly accepted her invitation to _get_ her assistance either. If his little pebbles of curiosity caused a few ripples, then perhaps something greater would come out of it.

That, or disturb whatever lurked beneath the dark depths. 

Claude hummed under his breath, recalling the moment with vivid clarity. Edelgard had been _angry_. No, _furious_. The type of deep seated _hate_ that burned one down to the core.

It’d been faint, almost untraceable - the fact that _Hubert_ appeared unbothered had made Claude second guess himself for a moment - but she’d _definitely_ been _furious_ about _something_. Considering their topic of conversation, her reaction seemed a bit... _over the top_. It wasn’t _Claude_ that she’d been mad at either, he knew _that_ much. 

_Who and what could have caused you to_ hate _that deeply Edelgard? And how is it related to current events?_

It was just another piece to the puzzle, and Claude grinned in excitement, humming a nameless tune under his breath as he sauntered to the dining hall. Edelgard had drawn his interest in several ways since he met her.

One, was obviously that she was the next in line to inherit the Imperial throne. If Claude wanted to make any headway in his own goals, making strong connections with the upper echelons of Fodlan society was a _must_.

Two, being fellow House Leaders meant that while they didn’t exactly spend a whole lot of _time_ together, they were all technically _rivals_. Claude was never one to back down from a challenge and his respective rivals seemed just as stubborn and determined as he. If that challenge included making friends, all the better.

Three, despite being the crown princess, she was a surprisingly awkward and brusque person to deal with once you got past the icy exterior. Claude had expected someone a bit more... _graceful_ Her deadpan delivery of humor _definitely_ took some getting used to, and half the time Claude had to rely on his _nose_ to tell when she _was_ joking. Then her _inability_ to _take_ a joke was quite _something_ to behold. So _prickly_ and easily offended. It made Claude want to poke her more, if only to _loosen_ her up a bit. Though it seemed even when he _actively_ tried to _calm_ her down, it actually... _didn’t_ work.

Which had been surprising to say the least. 

Claude’d been poking at that conundrum for _months_ now and hadn’t made much headway. He had a couple _theories_ , but couldn’t exactly do anything to _prove_ them. Regardless, whether or not he could help Edelgard _relax_ for once, pheromones or not, he was going to _keep_ trying. Judging by the almost _dazed_ look the past couple times he got close, he _was_ getting somewhere. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to resort to such measures all the time just to get Edelgard to loosen up. 

Maybe _then_ he could stop being _worried_ about her. Though, that seemed a _bit_ much, considering it was _Edelgard_. Perhaps it was better to say he was _wary_ of her? _For_ her?

Claude snorted under his breath as he entered the dining hall.

Regardless, there was something _very wrong_ with Edelgard.

Further interaction hadn’t helped Claude pin the exact reason for _why_ he felt such a way about the Imperial Princess, but it _wouldn’t go away._ The gut feeling he wouldn’t be _able_ to stop being worried-wary- _whatever_ until he got an answer made Claude grimace. Actually, Claude got the _same_ feeling whenever he dealt with Lysithea. And again, it wasn’t anything that he could actually put his finger on, just, _something_ was _wrong_. He’d tried asking a couple of his fellow Deer if they felt the same but only received _odd_ looks in return or questions if something was wrong with _him_.

Which actually hurt a little, but what else was new?

After all, he was an outsider.

* * *

Dimitri couldn’t sleep. He was restless, and the Alpha was unusually agitated. They’d be leaving tomorrow for their next mission, returning to Faerghus once more. And once more, it was to deal with the side-effects of a Kingdom with no king to rule. Dimitri glared up at his bedroom ceiling, the voices growing in volume as his impatience grew. He needed to ascend the throne, and _soon_. Of course, Dimitri didn’t believe that becoming King would solve all of Faerghus’ problems, but it was a _start_. 

_What would a poor excuse of a man like you know about being King?_ A voice whispered, _You can’t even control_ yourself _._

With a sigh, Dimitri rolled out of bed, donned his uniform jacket and snuck out of his room. An odd sense of deja vu prickled at him when he decided to forgo his armor. Without it, Dimitri felt... _vulnerable_ but _free_ and it allowed him to slip through the dorms silent and unnoticed.

Or so he thought.

“ _Hey_ -”

Dimitri jerked as a hand landed on his shoulder. Spinning on his heel, Dimitri snatched at the person’s wrist and _pulled_ , his free hand shooting forward instinctively to _crush_ \- 

Claude’s startled face stopped Dimitri faster than a dive into frozen waters - 

But, the sudden blow to his solar plexus worked just as well. 

Dimitri sank to his knees with a pained groan, his now loose grip around the Beta’s wrist the only thing keeping him upright.

“ _OH, shit!”_

He couldn’t help laughing - more like wheezing really - as Claude fell to his knees in front of him, scent overflowing with raspberries and grapes. Dimitri _really_ couldn’t help it, both pain and laughter finally tipping him onto his side with a giggly groan.

“By the _Gods_ Dimitri, I am _so sorry_!” Claude hissed, hands hovering, uncharacteristically flustered and strawberry sweet, “You surprised - well, I guess _I_ did the same but - _Gods_ , are you ok?”

Dimitri drew in a few gasping breaths intermixed with a few soft laughs, “I-I’m perfectly fine Claude, but please,” he peered up at the other’s worried expression, “This is starting to turn into an unfortunate habit.”

Claude plopped down with an incredulous chuckle, both hands rubbing over his face and into his hair, “You’re telling me!”

Dimitri snickered, a bit punch drunk - pun intended - as he rode the high of the ridiculousness of the situation and Claude’s scent, cherry sweet. The creak of a door opening drew their attention, and Felix, hair down and dressed for bed, eyed them with wary irritation.

“...Is there a reason you’re both lying on the floor in the middle of the night giggling like idiots?”

Dimitri coughed, rolling to his feet with a groan and an arm around his torso, “Apologies Felix, we didn’t mean to disturb you.”

The Beta huffed, a look of pure annoyance flitting across his face, “If you’re going to act like an animal do it _somewhere else_ or _be quiet_ , Boar.”

“And I suppose your own nightly activities will be just as _quiet_ , no?” Claude drawled quietly as he rose to his feet, a far too knowing smile on his face, “Our _deepest_ and _most sincere_ apologies for disturbing you and Sylvain!”

The Alpha was sure his face matched Felix’s as the Beta turned dark red and hissed, “ _We aren’t doing anything!_ ”

Claude’s brows visibly rose as he cocked his head in disbelief, “...I was actually just _kidding_ , but,” He raised his voice just bit, “Sounds like you’re losing your touch there Gautier!”

“ _Hey now!_ ” Dimitri covered his eyes as a _shirtless_ , sheepish and mildly-offended looking Sylvain appeared behind Felix, “I was doing _just fine_ before you two got handsy out in the hall!”

Claude chuckled, “ _Riiiiiight_ , and I suppose - _H-hey_!”

He wasn’t sure what came over him, but Dimitri - his face burning like a furnace - grabbed Claude by the wrist and pulled him into the Beta’s room. Later, he’d comprehend the low wolf whistle from Sylvain and the unsurprised snort from Felix as he slammed the door shut behind them with a solid _thud_.

 _Now_ though…

Claude cleared his throat, “You alright there Your Princeliness?”

Dimitri closed his eyes in humiliation, belatedly releasing his hold around the other’s wrist, “My deepest apologies, Claude I didn’t mean to put you in this kind of situation.”

“ _Actually_ , I think _I’m_ the one who owes _you_ an apology,” Claude replied, rubbing the back of his neck as the smell of raspberries and grapes wafted through the air.

Dimitri opened his eyes, blinking, “Whatever for?”

“Well, Felix isn’t the type to gossip and Sylvain would never _actively_ do anything to hurt you or your reputation, but,” Claude winced, “They probably believe we’re intimately involved now, especially with how you dragged me in here...sorry.”

_Intimat - ? Oh._

Dimitri felt himself flush, blocking out the Alpha’s pleased purrs, “I-I, forgive me Claude, I didn’t think -”

“Don’t worry about it,” the other flapped a hand as he moved further into the room, “No political suicides happening tonight, I promise! But if it makes you feel better I can talk with Gautier to make sure he doesn’t get the wrong idea. Wouldn’t want him thinking you’re involved with someone like me afterall.” Claude sat down at his desk, spinning the chair around so he was facing Dimitri, “We have something of an understanding, so it shouldn't be too hard.”

 _Someone like me? An_ understanding _?_

“What do you mean?” Dimitri finally spoke, lips pursing into a frown.

Claude blinked, rolling a shoulder, “There aren’t that many who enjoy a good game around the Monastery. He and I usually make a little time to play a couple rounds every week or so. Catch up, talk, that sort of thing.”

Dimitri knew that.

He knew that Claude and Sylvain played together regularly. It was one of the few times Sylvain looked like he was sincerely enjoying himself without putting up a front, as he so often did. Claude too, to a certain degree. Dimitri just hadn’t made the connection that their friendship might develop into an _understanding_ with _intimate_ connotations.

The Alpha rumbled ominously.

Dimitri shook it off, “No, what did you mean by ‘someone like me’?”

“Hm? Oh, y’know,” Claude waved a hand, “Politics.”

“ _Politics_ ,” Dimitri deadpanned.

“The Prince of Faerghus and the Heir to the Leicester Alliance, together?” Claude snorted, scent oddly subdued, “People would have a field day.”

Dimitri stared.

_That’s not what you meant at all._

However...

“Would it be such a bad thing? Being together with me?”

Claude’s eyes widened, scent _vanishing_ all together.

“What?”

Dimitri could feel himself blush all the way from the tips of his ears down past his shirt collar and immediately spun around, “I’m sorry, please forget I said anything.”

“W-wait, Dimi -!”

The Alpha thinks he feels fingertips brush his arm, but Dimitri is out the door and out of the dorms before Claude can do anything. Dimitri spends the rest of the evening wandering the Monastery grounds, haunted by ghosts and the Alpha’s howls till he and his classmates leave for Faerghus at dawn.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooooh the drama~ :P
> 
> Anyway, many thanks for taking the time to read!!! Stay safe y'all!!!
> 
> Cheers.


End file.
